


COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 





I 








I 




FROM THE ITIROTTLE 
TO THE THRONE. 


By T. H. 


WILSON, Verona. Mo. 











V ■ 

\ 


F IB8ABY of OONGRE^ 

\ wo copies «ecwve« 

JUL 22 

^C>o 

No. 

2/2 SS'C, 

oot^ 8 ; ■ 


•Julu 

CfASSS>/ ^ 


PREFACE 


TheJAuthor makes no apolo«:y for offering to a 
reading public, this little volume. We have tried 
to avoid all scholastic terms, using only the lan- 
guage of the home and thus produce a work that 
is adapted to the masses. The more 1 have 
studied the great principles and truths of the 
Bible, the more I have been persuaded that a 
work of this kind is needed. I have labored to 
present in a readable romance, the great truths 
contained herein, and I do sincerely believe that a 
faithful pursual of its pages will build up and 
strengthen tqe faith of those who “Stand, and re- 
joice in the hope of the glory of God,” and that 
those who are being driven out upon the broad 
ocean of doubtand error, by the adverse winds of 
the doctrine of men, will be taught the way of life 
and salvation as it is in Christ. And thus accom- 
plish the work for which it is intended. 

THE AUTHOR. 


DEDICATION 


To my wife, Emma S. Wilson, who has so 
patiently and kindly assisted me in the prepara- 
tion of this work, this little volume is affectionate- 
ly dedicated by 


THE AUTHOR. 


CHAPTER 1. 

DISAPPOINTED. 

One cool afternoon in the month of April, while 
the clouds were hovering low over the earth, and the 
rain was slowlv but gently falling, reminding one of 
the near approach of the early spring, Mr. B., the 
Superintendent of an Eastern railroad, was seen 
walking leisurely up and down the station platform of 
a New England city. Mr. B. was a strong muscular 
man and possessed a commanding and pleasing ap- 
pearance, so much so as to attract the attention of 
all whose gaze fell upon him, and as he, with arms 
crossed behind him, slowly moved from one end of 
the platform to the other, he was freely discussed 
by that part of the city’s population who had no other 
purpose or higher ambition in life, than to loaf about 
the depot and make remarks about every stranger who 
chanced to come within reach of their gaze. But their 
slighty remarks had no effect upon Mr. B. In fact, he 
was so wrapped up and absorbed in his own thoughts, 
that he heard nothing that was said about him. So 
dead was he to his environments that he was, appar- 
ently, living in a world, of which he was the sole in- 
habitant. Mr. B. was a self made man. He had 
worked himself up from that of an ordinary section 
hand to the Superintendency of one of the greatest 
railroads in America. While he was a strong man and 
had experienced the unpleasant as well as the pleasant 
things, common to every man who had spent his life 
in a position to which there are honor and responsi- 
bility attached, and had heretofore disposed of all 
serious problems and managed the business of a great 


4. FROM TEE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

•railroad with as much composure, and seemingly, with 
.as little worry as the smooth and even tempered wo- 
man manages her household duties. But at this time 
he kept his eyes fastened upon the ground at his feet, 
as much so, as if he were unable to lift them higher. 
He wore a sad and haggard look. His broad and 
manly face which had always been lighted up with a 
bright and cheerful smile, now gave evidence that he 
was carrying a burden upon his heart that he alone 
could read and understand. 

In the distance to the west could be seen an object, 
which seemed to be standing still, but steadily growing 
larger, while from it great volumes of smoke seemed 
to roll and join the clouds which had already obscured- 
the sun and settled a dusky gloom over the quiet lit- 
tle city which was just about to merge into the 
darkness of the night. Suddenly the train caller 
rushed into the waiting room, and in clear strong 
voice announced the arrival of the “New York Lim- 
ited.” At this juncture, the passengers who had been 
so anxiously awaiting the time when the hand on the 
large station clock would point to the hour when the 
“Limited” would arrive, took their grips and small 
parcels, pushed their way through the crowd and 
were standing on the platform when the great engine 
steamed by, and while it stood sounding forth a dead 
“Chug” “Chug,” as if angry because its birdlike flight 
had been momentarily checked, and like a thing pos- 
sessing life, seemed to be anxious to get started again 
-on its long journey over its smooth path of steel which 
lav stretched across the broad prairies for unnumbered 
miles before it. While great trucks of baggage, ex- 
press and mail were being unloaded and the passen- 
gers were getting off and on, Mr. B. walked to where 
the fireman was busy wiping the bright bars of his 
-engine, which already shone as so much silver ; and 


I)ISAPF>()IXTE1). 


5 . 


‘said; “Tell Clyde to come to the door of the cab/’ 
Clyde Xewman, the engineer and hero of our story, 
was considered by the officials of the road, as the best 
man that they had in their employ. He knew every 
foot of the road. He understood every signal and 
obeyed them perfectly. He understood his engine and 
knew how to make it speed sixty miles an hour over 
the straight track and round the curves with perfect 
safety. He was always found at his post and was 
seldom over a minute behind time. But why should 
he not be? He was ‘‘reared on an engine.” His father 
was an engineer before him. He was the only son of 
his father and therefore the idol of his heart. When 
he was only eight years old, his father would take him 
out on the road with him. He soon learned how to 
start and stop the great engine. He would sit in 
the cab and look out the window and watch the 
ground as it seemed to run from under them, or with 
childlike appreciation, admired the great iron monster 
as it seemed to leap and bound over the rails; and 
when the day’s run was over, he would sit in his 
mother’s lap and tell her of all the interesting things 
that he had seen, and in his own childish way tell her 
how he expected to run his engine when he “Got big 
like papa.” He was an apt student, and his father’s 
constant comp*anion, and took great pride in doing his 
work. His father would often say that “Clyde could 
handle the engine much better than he could.” Long 
before he was old enough to take charge of an engine, 
he could handle one with as much skill as anyone on 
the road. His father had always taught him that an 
engineer must be sober and honest, and while he was 
not a Christian, he had profound respect for those that 
were and regarded all churches alike, thinking that 
they all taught the same. When he became twenty-one 
years old, lie was given a freight run. His work 


.6 • FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

proved so satisfactory and his good moral character, 
soberness and splendid habits, together with his thor- 
ough knowledge of railroading soon commended him 
to the officials of the road and at the age of thirty- 
two he was given the “New York Limited,” the fast- 
est and best train on the road. 

When Mr. B. called at the cab door, Clyde stepped 
forward and the Superintendent started to offer him 
liis hand, but stopped suddenly and let his arm fall by 
his side, fixed his eyes upon the young engineer and 
stood gazing in his pale face as if he were held by 
some power, other than his own. The young man 
stood in silence and astonishment. A thousand 
thoughts seemed to rush in his mind. “What have I 
done?” he thought. “Why does the Superintendent 
of the road, of which I am an employe, act thus?” 
While these and other like questions were passing 
through the young man’s mind, Mr. B. was thinking 
also. The mental picture of a strong healthy young 
man, who but a few years ago came to his office and 
applied for a position as engineer, came up vividly 
before him. He thought : “Can I be deceived ? Is this 
man before whom I now stand the same young man, 
who but a few years ago, was the picture of health 
‘and perfect manhood ? Is this young man, who is now 
all but a physical wreck, the one who has broken all 
-previous records as an engineer on the ‘Limited ?’ ” 

“Clyde,” at last said Mr. B. “You are the best 
man we have ever had. Your record as an engineer 
has been perfect.” 

Clyde’s heart, which had been fluttering like a 
frightened bird in its cage, ceased to beat so rapidly, 
his face, which had been pale by wonder and aston- 
ishment, began to resume its natural color, and his lips 
began to move to form words by which he hoped to 
^show his appreciation for the high complimentary 


DISAPPOINTED. 


words from his superior officer. 

"But,” said Mr. B. 

"What, a proviso?” thought the young man. "What 
can this mean? Will the favored run be taken from 
me and given to another, possibly an older man than 
me ? Am I to go back on a slow freight, or ^oes it 
mean that I am discharged?” 

"But your health,” continued ^Ir. B. "You are 
broken down ; your nerves- are becoming weak and 
shattered. To continue as you are, you would not 
only be jeopardizing your own life, but you would 
be endangering the lives of hundreds of others. The 
company has had your case under advisement for 
some time, and, while we regret to let you go, we 
think it the best for all concerned. You are yet but 
a young man, and, while you may think we are treat- 
ing you unkind and unjust, but the company’s physi- 
cians think it best for you to take a six months’ lay- 
off and go to the mountains and try to regain your 
health. When you reach the end of the division, you 
will be relieved by a man whom I have already noti- 
fied to meet you and take charge of your engine on 
your arrival. 'Sly advice to you is, to go at once to 
the mountains of Colorado, camp, fish and hunt, and 
forget, as nearly as possible, your work here. When 
you have stayed long enough to regain your health, 
come back; your job will be waiting for you. You 
are too good a man ; we can’t afford to lose you. 
When you get ready to go, come to my office and get 
a pass to any point in the West to which you decide 
to go; and when you are ready to return, wire me 
for transportation.” 

Wdth these words burning upon the young man’s 
ears, i\Ir. B. turned and walked down the side of the 
long train of coaches. The conductor called out, "All 
aboard,” stepped to the edge of the platform and sig- 


8. FROM THE THIIOTTLE TO THE THHONE. 

nailed to Clyde, who was watching the Superintend- 
ent as he was disappearing in the crow'd. “All is- 
ready,” said the fireman to Clyde, who was too much 
engaged with his own thoughts to see the conduc- 
tor, who was still waving his hand. Clyde reached 
for the bellcord and a few clear taps gave warning 
to all that the “Limited” was ready to go. He took 
hold of the throttle and the great engine began to 
move and was soon pounding off sixty miles an hour 
tow^ards the city of Klew York. 

AS Clyde sat in his cab, with his hand upon the 
throttle and his eyes fastened upon the rails before 
his engine, his mind was busy bringing fresh again 
the memory of the sweet days of long ago. He 
thought of his childhood days, when his fond father, 
who had for years been sleeping in the bosom of the 
cold earth, would take him on his knee and tell him 
all about the working of his engine, or patiently 
listen to him as his little mind reached out in its 
endeavor to take hold of the great problems of the 
future, and seemed to be pleased to note the re- 
markable ability possessed by one of such a young 
and tender age. He thought of his invalid mother, 
old and gray, and his sister dear, who were waiting 
his coming in the old home. He thought of the time 
when he and his sister were but little children, used 
to romp up and down the halls and make them ring 
with the echo of their youthful voices, or how, when 
they were seated at play, he used to pour into her 
ears the story of his future visions, when he would 
become a man and handle the engine that would pull 
the long trains from city to city. He thought of 
the time when he as a boy used to sit in his father’s 
cab and watch the beautiful landscape as the engine 
bounded over the prairies and rushed around the 
hills. Never, since he was a boy, did the hills and. 


DISAPPOINTED. 


0 . 


valleys look so beautiful to him- as they did on this, 
his last run. He looked at his engine, which was 
carrying him so rapidly and steadily on— his boyish 
admiration came back to him. Never before did his 
train seem to glide along so smoothly. He thought 
of the words of the Superintendent: “We think it 
best for you to take a six months’ lay-off.” “Is this 
to be my last run for six months, and possibly for- 
ever?” And “Is this to be my last run over my 
father's old road?” He thought of the sorrow that 
his absence would bring to his mother and sister. He 
took his handkerchief from his pocket, placed it to 
his face and wept, and when he raised his eyes he 
could see, through his tears, the tall buildings and the 
smoke rising from the different factories, which re- 
minded him that he was near the city of C., which 
was the end of his run. As his train rushed up to 
the station, he saw a strong, broad-shouldered man 
standing on the platform and holding in his hand a 
yellow slip of paper. When the train stopped, the 
stranger stepped upon the engine and handed iMr. 
Newman the paper, which he unfolded, and read the 
following message : 

“To Clyde Clyde Newman — This is Mr. Bonner, 
who will take charge of your engine on your ar- 
rival., You may renort for duty any time after six 
months. — Signed: B.“ 

Clyde. tc>ok the stranger by the hand and greeted 
him kindly, and as he turned and walked awav from 
his engine he could not help but admire ^Ir. Bonner, 
who was not only a perfect gentleman, but a strong 
and healthy man, which made Clyde feel his misfor- 
tune and disappointment so much the more. Almost 
heartbroken, he raised his tear-stained face to take the 
last look at his engine, which seemed to him more like a 
friewd, or a creature, than something made by one; 
and then started towards his home, which he knew 


10. ' FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

would present a scene of sorrow when his mother 
and sister learned that he must soon leave them. As 
he neared that home, he felt that his ambition in life 
was ended, and that his visions of future greatness, 
that he had seen and cherished in his happy child- 
hood days, now seemed to pass away like a dream in 
the morning. As the darkness of the beginning of 
a long night settled about him and hid from his 
view every object that was so dear and familiar to 
him, so did the darkness of that sad hour seem to 
settle down over his young life, blast his every desire 
.and blight his fondest hopes. 


THE NEWMANS. 


11 . 


CHAPTER 11. 

THE NKWMAXS. 

The Xewmans lived in an old-fashioned house in 
the southern edge of the city. It was a two-story 
eight-room building and was located near the center 
of a lot which contained about one acre of ground ; 
and was built on the old Colonial style, having a 
wide veranda which reached clear across the front, 
and was almost hidden by the tall oak trees which 
stood all around it, lifting their heavy branches far 
above its roof. In the background could be seen a 
number of bee-hives, which were made from the 
bodies of hollow trees, sawed off about three feet in 
length, and were sitting, one under each of the large 
apple trees that were scattered promiscuously about 
the rear of the building, and Avhich, on a certain 
spring day, were covered with fresh blooms, that 
looked like so many massive snowballs. These beau- 
tiful blossoms were emitting forth such a fragrant 
and delicious odor as to allure to them the bees which 
were busy storing away their precious treasure, know- 
ing, doubtless, that the only time to gather their meat 
was while the friendly-like trees were yielding up 
their golden harvest. 

The Newmans were splendid people and they were 
considered as such by all who knew them. They 
could trace their family history back to the landing 
of the historic Mayflower, and were happy in the 
thought that their ancestors were numbered with that 
little band who,, before they, had ever set their feet 
upon the New World, or liad seen its fertile soil, 
“drew up and signed a compact to enact just and 


12 . 


FKOM THE THilOTTLE TO THE THHO^'E. 

equal laws, and submit thereto.” These principles - 
were as dear and sacred to the Newmans, and their 
practical applications were as strictly adhered to by 
them, as they were by those who framed them just 
at the morning’s dawn of that day in which was born 
a Western and better civilization. The knowledge 
of the fact that they were the direct descendants of 
those who were among the first to cross the turbid, 
waters of the Atlantic and help to lay the founda- 
tions of a country which today is known the world, 
over as “the land of the free and the home of the 
brave,” was a source of great joy and satisfaction to 
them, and they took great pride in carefully pre- 
serving and handing down to each succeeding gen- 
eration the story of their illustrious forefathers, of 
which they were so justly proud. 

Lewis Newman was born and reared in the moun- 
tains of Tennessee. His father owned a small farm, 
of which only a part lay in the .valley, the balance 
lying upon the mountain side, and was too rough 
and rocky to be of any value or benefit to him. There 
were no church or school houses near him and con- 
sequently his children had no advantages of an edu- 
cation, except as he and his good wife could teach' 
them each evening as they gathered around the little- 
tallow-candle, or, what was more common, a rich pine 
knot lighted and placed in certain position on the 
hearth of the open fireplace, so its smoke and odor 
would be caught up into the throat of the rock chim- 
ney, while it cast its irregular light upon the book 
whose pages were being eagerly scanned by the hun- 
gry eyes of a half a dozen children. The country at 
that time was comparatively new, and not very 
thickly settled. The woods abounded with all kinds 
of game. As there were no religious gatherings, ex- 
cept occasionally when some stranger would drop into 


THE NEWMANS. 


13 . 


the country, pass himself oft as a preacher and hold! 
a “few nights’ meetin’ ” at some neighbor’s house 
and then disappear as quietly and mysteriously as he 
came, their idle hours were spent in hunting and. 
fishing, which was not engaged in so much for pleas- 
ure as for revenue. 

When Lewis reached the age of eighteen, being the 
oldest of four sons, and as his father’s mountain, 
farm was not large enough to support or even give 
profitable employment to all of them, he decided to- 
leave the parental roof and learn a trade or business 
that would not only be more in keeping with his- 
likings, but one that would yield him a more lucra- 
tive return for his labor. Accordingly, one morning, 
in the early spring, as the family was seated at the 
breakfast table, he announced to his father and mother 
his plans and said that he expected to leave for the 
city the following morning, providing that they 
thought that they could manage the little farm with- 
out him and would be willing for him to go. They 
assured him that they thought his plan a wise one,, 
and, while they would miss him at the old home, 
they would not object to his going. Next morning, 
after his father and mother had delivered their 
charges, and cautioned him about his habits, he bid’ 
farewell to all and started to the city. 

He had heard very little about the outside world. 
It was only as some stranger who would be passing; 
by, and would stop with his father over night, or 
when some neighbor-boy, who had been away from 
home for a few months and had returned again, would 
come over and tell them about the wonderful advance* 
ments, the rapidly growing cities, railroads, and other 
things of equal interest, did he learn anything out- 
side of the little circle in which he lived. When- 
these rare but highly prized opportunities did come.. 


14. FKOM THE TBilOTTLE TO THE THKONE. 

Lewis would listen with the most intense interest^ 
and, after the speaker had exhausted himself, he, 
prompted by his anxiety to learn more about tliat 
which he had never seen, would ask questions and 
would eagerly drink in every word of the answer. This 
was kept up until his father would remind him that 
it was time for him to retire and give the man a 
chance to rest. That which he had heard talked 
about the most was that in which he was interested 
the most — the railroad. Just as soon as he arrived in 
the city he w^ent to the station and watched the trains 
as they would come and go. He looked up and dowm 
the long line of track, and when he raised his eyes 
he saw a swdtch engine pushing a long string of box 
cars up a track that led off from the main line to- 
wards a flouring mill that stood a half mile east of 
the depot. As if paralyzed by astonishment, he stood 
and gazed at that, to him the most wonderful and 
yet the most beautiful object that he had ever beheld. 
As he watched the man in the cab, as he sat with his. 
head out of the window and his hand upon the throttle 
of his engine, as it was so rapidly shoving the cars 
along, there was born in his young heart a desire to 
become a locomotive engineer. He turned and walked 
down to the main office and made application for a 
position as fireman. The company, being short on 
men, accepted his application and immediately as- 
signed him to an engine, which was a wood-burner, 
or as the fireman called it “a wood-eater.” Lewis- 
went to work with a zeal backed up by a purpose to 
succeed. Being anxious to learn engineering, he 
worked hard, and was in a reasonably short time 
promoted to the engineer’s seat, in which place he 
worked for a number of years. In the meantime he 
met and won the heart and hand of the girl of his 
choice, bought a nice little home and settled down to= 


THE NEWMANS. 


15 . 


•enjoy, as he thought, the remainder of his life in 
the quiet little Southern city that knew him first as 
only a raw recruit from his distant mountain home. 

Just before the breaking out of the Civil War he 
moved with his family to C., which was at that time 
only a small village in one of the Northern States. 
He was a man who weighed every question very 
carefully before he took any definite position, and 
when his mind was once made up he stood firm in 
liis convictions, but he had great charity and re- 
spect for those who honestly differed from him. 
When the great proposition of war came up, involv- 
ing the question of the division of this Union, after 
he had considered well the question, and though he 
was Southern born, honestly believed it to be his 

duty to take sides with the Unionists, and when 

Abraham Lincoln called for seventy-five thousand 
volunteers he was among those who were the first 
to offer their lives as a sacrifice upon the altar of 
their country. He gave almost five of the best years 
of his life in helping to stay the hand of division 
and to protect the honor and integrity of the “Stars 
and Stripes,” that flag that has never known a com- 
plete defeat or whose sacred folds have ever waved 
over any save a victorious army, and is not loved 
only by every loyal American citizen, but it is hon- 
ored and respected by every nation, whose people 

liave been touched by civilized hand. Mr. Newman 
was in some of the hardest fought battles of the war, 
and in every respect he proved himself equally as 
good a soldier as he had been a citizen. He was 
with Gen. Grant when he met that peerless warrior 
and perfect gentleman, Gen. Lee, and received from 
him the surrender of his army. As he stood and 
watched those men, two of the greatest generals that 
the world has ever produced, clasp hands, his heart 


16. FROM THE THROTTLE TO TH E TH RuNE 

‘•overflowed with joy to know that thus ended one oi 
the bloodiest wars that was ever waged by a civil- 
ized people, and that this blood-washed Union was 
not only preserved, but that it was made stronger 
and better by reason of the fact that once more the 
white-winged messenger of love and friendship had 
hovered low and whispered ‘“'Peace'’ in the ears of 
both the North and the South, uniting them again 
as one people under one grand and glorious flag. 

No sooner had the smoke of battle cleared away, 
the roar of the cannons ceased, and the last echo 
from the muskets died away among the rocks and 
trees of the distant hills, Mr. Newman bid farewell 
to his .comrades and returned to his home, where he 
was warmly welcomed by his wife and two children 
With Mr. Newman, the war was ended, the ]\Iason 
and Dixon line was blotted out forever. If he ever 
had any prejudice, he left it upon the battlefield, r^r 
"buried it with the last Confederate soldier whose 
mangled body he helped to lay away to its last rest 
ing place in its loruely grave. He knew no difler- 
ence between the blue and the gray, since the union 
of the North and the South had been sealed by the 
blood of a million of the world’s best men. When 
be reached home, like all true soldiers, he turned his 
attentions from the sorrows and hardships of war 
to the building of his home and the educating of his 
children. He soon secured a position as engineer 
on the road that ran through the town in which lie 
lived. The dark and gloomy days of war had not 
caused him to forget how to be faithful to his work, 
but he went to work with the same zeal and purp(.>se 
that he had when he, for the first time, mounted an 
engine to work himself up in the estimation of the 
officials of the road. He took great pride in his 
"home. His leisure hours were spent around the fire- 


THE NEWMANS. 


IT. 


•side, where he would listen to Grace, his only daugh- 
ter,. who, with her little baby hands, would try to 
pound music out of the old-fashioned piano, or he 
would patiently endeavor to answer the multiplicity 
of questions propounded by Clyde, who never grew 
tired of hearing his father talk about his own en- 
gine, or read to him the thrilling story of some hero 
at his throttle. i\Ir. Newman saw not only the little 
village in which he lived grow and become one of 
the leading cities of the State, but he saw his daugh- 
ter, the idol of the home, grow to womanhood and 
become an accomplished musician, and Clyde bloom, 
as it were, into manhood and take his place among 
the best engineers on the road. Their home was a 
happy one. It was filled with one ray of perpetual 
stinshine, until one day the silent messenger of Death 
lightened at the doorway, paused but a moment to 
fold his celestial wings, then softly crossed the thresh- 
old of that once happy home, kissed down his eye- 
lids to that eternal sleep, gathered in his tender em- 
brace an affectionate husband and a fond and loving 
father, and, with his heaven-bound burden, stepped 
aboard the ship and sailed from the shores of Time. 

Clvde was twenty-two years old when his father 
died, and, being the only son, he was left to comfort 
and support his mother and sister, which obligations 
die considered a pleasure rather than a burden. 


18 . 


FROM THE throttle TO THE THRONE. 


CHAPTER III. 

TELLING MOTHER GOOD-BYE. 

When Clyde entered the house his mother said: 

“Clyde, you are later tonight than usual. We had 
become very uneasy about you. What was the mat- 
ter, dear?” 

“I am just a few moments late, mother; that is 
all” 

“But,” continued Mrs. Newman, “what was the 
matter? Was there an accident on the road, or why 
couldn’t the Limited arrive on time this evening?” 

“There was nothing wrong,” said Clyde. “W^e 
were not a minute late. I was detained after I reach- 
ed the city. I had to show a new man a few things 
about my engine.” 

As these last words were spoken, Clyde’s voice 
began to tremble, and he hastily began to ascend the 
old-fashioned stairway, before his mother could de- 
tect anything strange about his voice or actions. 
When he reached his room he heard his mother say : 

“Your supper is awaiting you. Come when you are 
ready.” 

At this juncture his sister came into his mother’s 
room and sat down in her father’s old rocking chair, 
to wait until he could prepare himself for the even- 
ing meal. But poor Clyde, his hands were not as 
busy as his mind. His soul was aching as if some 
wild beasts were gnawing at his very heartstrings, 
his mind whirled and his hands trembled. His room 
door was standing partly open and he heard his 
mother say : 

“Clyde is a little late tonight. I asked him if 


TILLING MOTHER GOOD BYE 


19 . 


there had been an accident or if anything had hap- 
pened on the road to delay him.” 

“What did he say was the matter ?” inquired Grace. 

“He said there was nothing happened, only that he 
was delayed after he reached the 'city by having to 
show a new man something about his engine.” 

“What ! Show a new man something about his 
engine?” said Grace. “What did he have to show 
a new man about his engine for? Has Clyde quit the 
road, or has he been promoted again?” 

“I don't know,” said j\Irs. Newman, “but I guess 
the company has picked up another inexperienced man 
at the roundhouse. Clyde said that the last man that 
they had there would get drunk and was incompe- 
tent to attend to the business, and you know that the 
company will not employ a man that drinks. I sus- 
pect that Clyde was the first man in after the new 
man went to work and he had to show him about the 
engine. Clyde looks so awful bad and pale tonight, 
I fear he is not feeling well. I don’t think that I 
ever saw him look so bad as he does tonight, and 
he is so nervous. Though ever since he has been 
running on the Limited he has been losing in flesh 
and his nerves are not what they once* were.” 

Clyde, already weakened by the experience of the 
darkest and gloomiest day that had ever dawned upon 
his young and tender life, could no longer stand 
when the last words of his mother fell like a mighty 
avalanche upon his ears, and his fragile body reeled 
under their ponderous weight. Though weakened 
and pale as he was, never before had he been so af- 
fected. He had heard the threats and curses of strong 
men, he had driven his engine sixty miles an hour 
through the midnight darkness. He had been in a 
number of disastrous accidents and collisions. He 
had ridden his engine when it had ground to pieces 


20. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

unfortunate men and women under its mighty wheels,, 
but it was left for the kind words of an affectionate^ 
mother to touch the very heartstrings of his inner- 
most soul, and make him feel as helpless and de- 
pendent as when he was asleep, a prattling babe, in, 
her strong and loving arms. Like a frightened man, 
in the last struggles of death, he reached out his 
trembling arms ' to grasp some nearby object to 
steady his frail and sinking body. He threw himself 
across his bed and, half muttering to himself, said 
“How can I tell her that I must leave her? How. 
can I tell my only sister, who is the very comfort, 
and joy oi my life?” 

“Clyde,” came the words of his mother, “are you. 
about ready for supper?” 

“Yes, mother,” he said, as he sprang to his feet. 
He washed his tear-stained face, brushed his hair and. 
went downstairs and was led to the large dining- 
room by his sister, where they were soon joined by 
their mother. , 

When they were seated at supper, Mrs. Newman, 
looked across the table at her son and almost shud- 
dered when she noticed his pale face and melancholy 
look. So completely had the expression of his face- 
changed from what it was the day before when he 
bid her good-bye to go out on his run, that she could 
hardly believe that he was her own son. Grace could 
scarcely refrain from shedding tears when she no- 
ticed his sad and downcast countenance. She, like 
her mother, could hardly make herself believe that 
he was her brother, who had always been so cheer- 
ful and happy. Finally his mother said: 

“I suppose that man at the roundhouse has quit,, 
or has been discharged on account of his drinking, 
and the company haL employed a new man who is 
inexperienced, and it has fallen to your lot this time- 


TELLING MOTHEn GOOD BYE 21, 

to teach him?” 

“I don't know, mother,” he said. “What makes 
you think that? I have not heard of Mr. Frost quit- 
ting or being discharged, either.” 

“I don't know,” said Mrs. Newman. “You said 
that you were delayed after you got into the city to- 
night by having to show a new man something about 
your engine. Have you been so fortunate as to get 
promoted again to a better position — one that will 
keep you at home all of the time? I do hope you 
have. Our home is so gloomy without you, and 
Grace and I get so lonesome when you are gone, 
though it be but for a day and night. I don’t sec 
how we could stay here a week, if it were not for 
you, although I would rather stay here than any- 
where on earth, but the old home seems so empty 
when you are gone, and your presence only can 
fill it.” 

Clyde had been nerving himself for the greatest 
ordeal of his life, that of telling. them that the doc- 
tors had told him that his health was greatly im- 
paired and that nothing but a six months’ stay in the 
mountains would restore it. But these last words of 
his mother fell upon him like a thunderbolt from a 
clear sky. So sudden and unexpected were they 
that they seemed to break up the very fountains of 
his soul. His face flushed crimson for a moment, 
then paled, his hands fell heavily upon the edge of 
the table, great drops of tears gushed from his eyes 
and rolled down upon his cheeks; he laid his head 
upon his arm and wept. Mrs. Newman looked across 
at the slender form of her daughter, who was almost 
paralyzed with grief. 

“Clyde, why do you weep? Are you sick, or what 
is the matter?” said Grace. 

Clyde raised his head, wiped the tears from his 


22. FllOM THE THROTTLE TO T BET RRO^E. 

large brown eyes, looked at his mother and sister,, 
and started to speak, but his lips quivered, his hands 
trembled, his eyes fell upon his plate, and he said 
not a word. 

“I have never seen you act this way before. Tell 
us what is the matter, dear,” said Mrs. Newman, her 
heart filled with fear and anxiety. 

“Mother,” he said, “I will have to leave you, not. 
only for a day and night, but for months.” 

When these words fell upon the ears of his mother 
and sister, they rose to their feet, and in an instant. 
Grace was by his side, threw her arms round his neck, 
and said : 

“Clyde, could you leave your poor old invalid, 
mother and me alone in a home that would be as sad 
and lonely as ours would be without you? No, never, 
never !” She sobbed. 

“We can’t give you up,” said his mother. “You. 
are the light of this home and the idol and comfort 
of our hearts.” 

“Mother,” he said, “it is not my pleasure to leave 
you. I know that I will miss you and sister more than 
you can possibly miss me. I have to go out into the 
cold world alone, while you can stay together. But, 
with me, it is a matter of choosing life, health, and 
my position on one hand and death on the other.” 

“What — what do you mean, Clyde? You must be 
beside yourself. I can’t understand what you mean 
by life, health, and position on one hand and death 
on the other,” said Mrs. Newman. 

“Mother,” he said, “do you remember what you 
said to Grace, while I was up in my room, about me 
looking so bad and falling away in flesh?” 

“Yes, I remember wha^ I said. It is true; your 
health is not good, your nerves are almost wrecked. 
You don’t seem to be yourself any more. I think: 


TELLING MOTHLR GOOD LYt, 


23 . 


that the fast run that you have been on has been 
the cause of it all. While it is a great source of joy 
to me to know that my boy is the best and safest engi- 
neer that the company lias ever had, and that you 
have been intrusted with the best position on the road, 
but I had a thousand times rather see you go back 
on a freight and be cheerful and happy like you once 
were. But why is it necessary for you to leave us?” 

“Well, mother, you are not the only one that has 
complimented me on my progress or advancement, 
and I assure you that there is none whose judgment 
I think better or whose compliments I prize higher 
than I do yours. Neither are you the only one who 
has noticed my failing health. The company’s physi- 
cians told the Superintendent today that my health 
was in such a condition that I would have to take a 
six months’ lay-off and go to the mountains, and 
that my life depended upon it.” 

“Clyde,” said Grace, “can’t you take your lay-off 
and stay here? We can’t give you up for one week, 
much less, six months. Please, please, brother, don’t 
leave us.” 

“I must go, Grace. The doctors have said that I 
cannot get well here.” 

“When do you have to go?” inquired his mother. 

“The sooner the better it will be for me. I thought 
that if I could get ready, and you and sister would 
concur, I would go tomorrow.” 

“Tomorrow?” said Grace. 

“Yes,” said Clyde. “When I got to the city this 
evening, a Mr. Bonner, the man that I spoke of, met 
me to take the engine and he gave me a message 
from the Superintendent in which he said for me not 
to report for duty for six months. The sooner I go 
the sooner I will get back home, and the sooner I 
will get back on the road. The thought of having to 


24. FllOM TEIE THFlDTrLE TO TETE THRONE. 

leave you and mother and the home of my childhood 
is almost more than I can bear. But, mother, you 
have always taught me that every dark cloud has a 
silver lining, and I am going to endeavor to look for 
that side that is turned toward Heaven and trust 
that He, who does all things well, will send His guid- 
ing angel, keep us safe from all harm, and unite us 
again in this dear old home, which is so sweet and 
sacred to my heart.’’ 

These words came as a great surprise to Mrs. 
Newman. While she had always taught her children 
to respect the Bible and reverence the lonely iMan 
of Galilee, she had never made any profession of re- 
ligion, but she had alwavs believed in the God who 
created this earth, and who swung the sun into space 
and set the moon in her cycles, yet she had a very 
vague and imperfect idea of Him who is so watch- 
ful over the works of His hands that not even a 
sparrow falls to the ground without his notice. 

She looked at her son and said : 

“Clyde, can you trust Him?” 

“Yes, mother. I am not only going to trust Him, 
but I am going to learn more about Him.” 

Grace walked into her room and returned with a 
neatly wrapped package and handed it to him, and 
said: 

“Clyde, here is your birthday present that I bought 
for you, but as vou are going away I will give it to 
you now. It is a Bible. I give it to you with a 
sister’s blessing. Read it and learn more about Him 
who died that we might live. May it lead you into 
the light of His glorious truth. May it l>e a bless- 
ing not only to you, but to us. I would like to live 
for Him, but there is so much difference in the 
churches here that I get lost in the wilderness oi 
their confusion. Just a few Sundays ago, I went to 


TELLLXU xMOTHEU GOOD BYE, 25. 

one of . the leading churches to hear Dr. J., who is 
considered one of the most brilliant and eloquent men 
of our city. When he came into his pulpit, I thought 
that I had never seen so pious and consecrated a man 
as he. When he announced his text, I could hardly 
wait until he got through with his preliminary re- 
marks, to begin with his subject, which was: “What 
^lust I Do to Be Saved?” I flattered myself on 
having come to the right place at just the right time, 
to listen to the discussion of a question I have always 
wanted to hear explained. He began by showing 
the awful condition of the sinner. With the most 
eloquent flights of oratory he pictured the awful 
depths into which sin had plunged all the sons of 
Adam, and said that we were all guilty of the Adamic 
or original sin. So deplorable and terrible did he 
make my condition appear to me, and so unworthy 
and unrighteous did I feel, knowing that I was a lost 
and condemned sinner, that I resolved to obey the 
Savior and get right with God just as soon as he 
told me what to do. I listened with intense interest 
to every w^ord and drank in every thought, so eager 
was I to learn the way of salvation. Finally he said: 
'Some will ask, “What must I do to be saved?” ' He 
paused for a moment, which to me seemed more like 
an age. So anxious was I for the answer, that I 
found myself rising to my feet, to urge him on with 
the explanation. ‘You can’t do anything,’ he said. 
‘You are dead in sin. You can’t even think a good 
thought or say a good word. But how and when can 
you be saved?’ he continued. ‘You can be saved by 
the grace and power of God, and that only when He 
sends His Holy Spirit into your depraved heart and 
regenerates your corrupt soul. He sends His Spirit 
upon whom He will, and so mysteriously does the 
power of God come that you cannot tell “whence it 


26. F[lOM THE TH HOTTLE TO THE TH RON E. 

cometh and whither it goeth.” When He gets- 
ready to save yon, He will do it. It matters not 
where you are or what you are doing. I have known. 
Him to save people in various ways, and in different 
places. I have known Him to save them in the church,, 
the home, the shop and the field. Paul says, “And 
without controversy great is the mystery of godli- 
ness.” That is true, brethren. God’s word is a mys- 
tery to some, and He saves some in a mysterious 
way.’ At the close of his sermon he said : ‘Now all 
that want to be saved, just seek the Lord while He 
might be found. He says, “Seek and ye shall find,”' 
and again He said to John on the Isle of Patmos : 
“Behold I stand at the door and knock: If any man. 
hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to 
him, and will sup with him and he with Me.” He 
called upon us sinners to open the door of our hearts 
and let the blessed Savior in, and then he said: 
‘Brethren, let us engage in a season of prayer, that 
God will graciously pour out His Spirit upon the- 
unsaved today.’ He prayed long and earnest that 
God would save every sinner there that hour. But 
God evidently did not answer that prayer, for I went 
away feeling condemned, my soul was sick and my 
mind was at sea. 

“That Sunday evening I went to hear the Reverend' 
O., a man who is not only consecrated, but a man 
whose scholarship is not questioned. His subject was, 
'How Man is Redeemed from Sin.’ He said in part 
that man had no choice in the matter, that God saved 
whom he willed to be saved, without any action what- 
ever on the part of the person saved, and that He- 
passed all of those by whom He willed to be lost, 
and that the number to be saved was so definitely 
fixed in His mind in the beginning that it can neither- 
be increased or diminished. I went home, but could 


TELLING MOTHER GOOD BYE. 27. 

not sleep. I could not see how God could refuse to 
save me, when I was so anxious to be saved. I won- 
dered if I was one of those that God had passed by. 
I could not see why Dr. J. told us that we could not 
do anything to save ourselves, and then tell us to 
seek and we would find. I could not see how God 
could save some and reject others, without being a 
respecter of persons. The next morning I went and 
bought two Bibles, one for you and one for myself. 
I have read all of the New Testament, and I have 
never seen where Jesus said that we were guilty of 
Adam’s sin or that we cannot do anything to save 
ourselves. I have never seen where He said that we 
were totally depraved. I have never seen where God 
has elected some to eternal life and some to con- 
demnation, and that without any action on their 
part. But I read in there somewhere where He said : 
‘Not every one that sayeth unto Me, “Lord, Lord,’' 
shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven, but he that 
doeth the will of my Father which is in Heaven.” ’ 
And where He said. ‘Come unto Me, all ye that 
labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.’ 
Brother, it seems to me like those two passages of 
scripture teach that our salvation depends upon some- 
thing that we must do, and that God has invited, not 
just those who have been elected to eternal life, but 
that all, everybody, is invited. Though I don’t know; 
both of those preachers are good men, and great 
scholars, and they know more about it than I do. 
But I give you this book : take it and read it. I^Iay 
it prove a blessing to both the giver and the receiver. 
jMay it lead us into the paths of righteousness here 
;and give us an eternal home in the Banqueting House 
of God above. When you have learned the way of 
life, let me know; I am anxious to obey my Savior.” 

Clyde reached his palsied hand for the book, raised 


28. FROM THF TBROT TLE TO THE THKON'E. 

his tear-filled eyes to hers, and said: 

“Sister, I accept this token of your love. I prom- 
ise you that I will read it, and if there is any con- 
sistency in its teaching, if any harmony in its con- 
struction, if it makes plain the way of life, I will en- 
deavor to learn it, and just as soon as I know my 
duty to God I will do it.’’ 

“I will prize God’s word from now on as I never 
have before,” said Grace. “May God speed the day 
when you can return to us, restored in health, and 
may He grant, too, that you will be as efficient in 
handling the Bible as you are in handling your en- 
gine, and may you pilot the gospel train as safely 
into the eternal city of God as you did the Limited 
into the city of C. tonight.” 

Clyde talked over his plans with his mother, while 
Grace was busy arranging his trunk. She was care- 
ful to gather up everything that she thought would 
be of any use to him while he was away. They re- 
tired late that night, but rose early the next morn- 
ing. Soon the drayman called for his trunk. Clyde 
turned to his mother and sister, threw his arms around 
them, kissed them and departed, too much overcome 
to speak. They followed him to the door and watched 
him until he turned and waved the last farewell, and 
then turned and went back into the house which 
seemed so large and lonely, while Clyde, for the first 
time in life, was turned out to face a cold and un- 
friendly world alone. 


AN UNEXPECTED FRIEND. 


‘> 0 . 


CHAPTER IV. 

AN UNE^XPECTED friend. 

“Good morning, Mr. B.,” said Clyde, as he en- 
tered the office and slowly closed the door behind 
him. 

The Superintendent, who was seated at his desk, 
raised his eyes and fastened them upon the trembling 
form of the young man, and said: 

“Good morning, Clyde.'’ And at the same time he 
rose to his feet, greeted the young engineer kindly, 
and offered him a chair. 

Clyde sat down and Mr. B. said: 

“You have come after your pass, I suppose?" 

“Yes, sir." 

“To what point in the West have you decided to 
go?'’ 

“I think," said the young engineer, “that I will 
go to T., Colorado. My mother and I talked it over 
last night and we both thought that if I had to go at 
all that would be the best place for me on account of 
the high altitude and pure air." 

“A good selection," said the Superintendent. “You 
will find that a good, healthful place. The air is pure 
and the water is as good as ever flowed from be- 
neath the hills. There are plenty of fish in the 
streams, and the woods are chuckful of all kinds of 
game. There are plenty of bear and other large 
animals that you can hunt which will furnish you a 
great deal of sport and recreation. I was out there 
two years ago and dropped in with some jolly good 
fellows. And, say, Clyde, I was a physical wreck 


30. FROM THE THLIOTTLE TO THE THRONE, 

when I went there, but I happened to get in with a 
gang of hunters, ‘Old Brad’s Gang,’ they called them- 
selves. They pushed me right out on their hunts 
with them. I ate beans and bear’s meat and prac- 
ticed shooting and fishing, until I got so I could 
handle the gun and fishing-rod quite as good as they 
could. I remember real well the first bear that I 
killed. I was on a little pony that old Brad called 
‘Browny.’ He was a swift little fellow and as quick 
as lightning, too quick for me. We started out ov 
our hunt early one morning and after we had ridden 
about an hour I got separated from the other fel- 
lows, and while I was looking for them I saw just 
what I was not looking for — a bear — about one hun- 
dred yards from me. I took my rifle and shot at 
him, but the ball did not kill him, as I hoped that it 
would do, but evidently it hurt him. He gave a 
ferocious growl and started towards me. Old 
‘Browny’ seemed to take in the situation pretty thor- 
oughly and concluded that there was danger in stay- 
ing there longer and started so suddenly that he 
jumped from under me and I fell on the ground at 
his heels. The bear was still coming on, and I 
thought that my marksmanship was not very accu- 
rate and that the best thing for me to do would be 
to climb a tree, which I did a great deal quicker than 
I can tell it. 'Unlike most fellows, scared as badly as 
I was, I had presence of mind enough to hold on to 
my gun. My thoughtfulness in that respect, however, 
may be accounted for in the following way : Be- 
fore leaving camp, I took a rein from ‘Old Browny’s’ 
halter and tied one end in the trigger-guard and the 
other end in the ring near the point of the stalk, 
taking care to allow plenty of slack so I could swing 
it around my neck and use the gun, without taking 
it from my shoulder. When the big black monster 


31 . 


AN UNLXlr EC'J El) rRlEM). 

came up in his mad rush, I put a ball directly through 
his heart, and he rolled over dead. I will tell you, 
Clyde, it is fine sport to bring one of those big fel- 
lows down, and 1 assure you that the first one that 
you kill you will think it worth a whole year’s sal- 
ary just to see him fall. You go out there and get 
in with some good fellows like I did and let them 
feed you on bear’s meat, beans and wild turkey, and 
let them give you a few lessons in fishing, hunting 
and broncho riding, and you will get as fat as a 
stall-fed ox. But when you come back, you had 
better have your mother come down to the office and 
introduce you to the boys here, for you will be such 
a changed man that we will not know you.” 

A bright smile lighted up Clyde’s face and he said: 

“I hope you're right, Mr. B. ; but I am more in- 
clined to believe that I have pulled the throttle on 
the Limited for the last time.” 

Mr. B. turned to his chief clerk and told him to 
write the pass, which he did and handed it to the 
Superintendent, who signed it and reached it to the 
young man. Clyde took the pass, bid Mr. B. and 
the boys in the office good-bye, turned and walked 
slowly to the Lhiion Station, where he was met by a 
number of his old railroad friends who came to bid 
him the last farewell before he started on his long 
journey. Soon the train rushed up to the station and 
Clyde stepped on board, and as it pulled out he 
walked to the rear end of the car, waved the last 
good-bye to his anxious friends, turned and walked 
back in the car and sat down. He gazed out the 
window at the familiar scenes as they seemed to pass 
so rapidly bv, while he for the first time in life ex- 
perienced that unpleasant feeling which comes to ev- 
ery young man who for the first time leaves a mother, 
sister and the dear old home of his childhood. 


32. FriOM THE THHOTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

As the train rolled rapidly on, lengthening the dis- 
tance between him and his home, and just as it en- 
tered the State of Colorado, he noticed a tall man 
come into the coach, walk steadily down the aisle 
and sit down in the seat just in front of him. The 
man had a short, stubby beard all over his face, wore 
a white hat with a broad brim, gray trousers and a 
hunter’s coat. Clyde reached over and touched the 
stranger lightly on the shoulder. The man turned 
his head and Clyde said: 

“Pardon me, stranger. Can vou tell me how far 
it is to T.?” 

“About a hundred miles from here,” he said gruf- 
fly ; “quite a different , country from what you see 
here. Are you going to stop at T. ?” 

“Yes, sir; I am intending to stop there,” said 
Clyde. 

“Do you know anyone there ?” continued the 
stranger. 

“No, sir ; no one at all.” 

The stranger turned almost around in his seat, let 
his large rough arm fall heavily upon Clyde’s pale, 
bony hand, which was lying upon the back of the 
seat, raised his keen black eyes and gave Clyde a 
close, scrutinizing look which made the 3^oung man 
tvemble. 

“You,” said the stranger in a rough, coarse voice, 
“don’t look like anyone I ever saw around T. I 
didn’t think that you had ever been there very much. 
You look to me more like some tenderfoot, or some 
detective from the East. If you are, my advice to 
you, young man, is to take the next train and start 
for home. Some one will fill you full of buckshot. 
We ‘can’ such fellows as you, if we see them acting 
in a suspicious way around our camp.” 

“I am not a detective,” said Clyde in a trembling 


A N UN EXPECTE D E Hi EM ). 33. 

voice. ‘*I am coming to Colorado for my health. 
I did not want to come, but the doctors told me that 
I. must change climates.” 

“That old, worn-out excuse does not go any more 
out here,” said the stranger. ”We fellows around, 
T. behave ourselves, ’tend to our own business and 
do not allow anyone else to do it for us. You will 
be watched and if you behave right all will be well, 
but let me serve notice on you right now, before you 
ever put your feet on the soil around T., that if you 
go around trying to pry into some one else’s busi- 
ness, or act like 3fiou are looking for some one, you 
will find him; but your friends, if you have any, will 
never know your burying place.” 

“1 have always been a hard-working man, I am 
honest, and my only reason for coming out here is 
as I told vou : I am coming for my health,” said 
Clyde. 

The stranger took Clyde by the arm, turned and 
looked him right in the ^ face. Clyde's whole'fbody 
shobk — and why should it not? Never before had 
he been talked to so roughly by anyone. He con- 
trasted the words of the stranger with the kind words 
of the Superintendent and the' loving words of his 
affectionate mother and sister. His poor heart flut- 
tered as he looked into the face of the stranger. He 
wished that he would have remained at home, where 
he could have died, surrounded by his mother and 
sister and friends, instead of falling into the hands 
of so rougifi a stranger. 

‘T will admit, sir,” said the stranger, “that your 
health can be improved on, providing you don’t die- 
befor-e the climate can take any effect on you. But, 
sir, how am I to know that you are honest? How 
do I know that you are a hard-working man? Your 
healfJi does not show it. Judging from your looks,.. 


34 . 


FllOM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

some one has picked you up and sent you out here 
as a spy or a detective, thinking that we would be- 
lieve vour story about searching for health. I have 
seen a number of just such scapegoats as you might 
be. They come out here and look around as if they 
thought our camp was a rendezvous for horse thieves 
and cut-throats. We are tired of it. It reflects on- 
our country and people. A man has got to be as 
straight as a string if he stays around our camp. 
Where are you from, anyway?” 

“I am from the city of C.,” said the young man. 

“I must say that you are from a mighty good 
place. I have a big warm spot in my heart for one 
man that lives in C.” 

“What is his name? Maybe I know him,” con- 
tinued Clyde. 

“You know him?” said the stranger. “No, indeed 
not. He belongs to an entirely different class of men 
from what you do. You may know some of those 
dudes around there, but, judging from your looks, 
you would not know this fellow, nor would he give 
vou as much as a passing look if he were to meet you 
on the street.” 

“It is possible, of course, that I would not know 
him, but it is more probable that I would. I have 
lived there all of my life and know all of the busi- 
ness and railroad men. You can tell me his name,- 
and I can tell you whether I know him or not.” 

“I don't know his name,” said the stranger. “I 
was through that place about four years ago. I was- 
on the ‘New York Limited.’ You talk about a train 
a-running — that thing run! I told my pard that was 
with me, that it was not running, but it was flying. 
When we looked out of the window, we could see 
onlv a green streak, and when we would pass a town, 
it was just a glimmer and then it was gone. I asked 


AN UNEXPECTED EUIEND. 


35 . 


the conductor if that engineer was drunk or crazy, 
•or what was the matter with him. He told me that 
he was a young man, and that he was the best engi- 
neer on the road ; that his father was an engineer 
and that the young man was, as he said, 'reared on 
an engine.’ He said that he had been running on 
•the Limited about two years, I asked the conductor 
his name and he told me. I wrote the name in a 
book, so I would always know it. I told my pard, 
that if I ever met that engineer, I was going to give 
him a good hard handshake and invite him out to 
our camp. I would like to look into the face and 
shake the hand of a man that has as much nerve as 
that fellow has. I told my pard that I would like to 
have my tent filled up with just such fellows as he 
is. I will bet that he would make a bear hunter and 
a broncho buster to a finish.” 

“Where is your book?” said Clyde. “I think that 
I know all of the engineers that run on that road.” 

“I don’t know whether I have that book with me 
or not. I hardly ever carry it with me,” said the 
stranger, as he rose to his feet and began to fumble 
through his pockets. “No, I haven’t it, unless it is 
in the other car in my fur coat pocket. Let us go 
in there and see.” 

Clyde had begun to suspect the stranger. He 
thought that he might be some highway robber, who 
was setting a trap for him and he was blindly walk- 
ing into it. Reluctantly he arose and followed, more 
through fear to refuse to go than a desire to follow. 
He walked closely behind him as he passed out of 
-one car into another, believing that he had fallen an 
easv victim to his snare. The stranger moved stead- 
ily up the aisle until he came to a seat on which an 
old and badly worn telescope and a heavy fur coat 
were lying. He pushed these to the end of the cush- 


36. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE TH ROXE. 

ion next to the wall, turned the seat in front of his 
and told Clyde to sif down, while he picked up the 
coat and resumed hf^search for the little book. Clyde 
sat down and watched the stranger as he pulled from 
his pocket a little book which was not only badly 
worn but torn as well. 

“Here it is,” he said. 

“All right,” said Clyde. “I am glad that you have 
found it. I think that I know every man who has 
pulled the throttle on the Limited for the last ten 
years, and it is very probable that I know the man 
that you rode behind.” 

The stranger laid the book on the seat in front of 
him and took an old cob pipe from his pocket, filled 
it with “homespun” tobacco, took a match from a 
metal case, gave it. a quick rake down the side of the 
car, lighted his pipe and soon had a great volume of 
smoke floating about his head. 

“I can talk better and think better if I can get my 
pipe to going just right. It seems to start my thinker 
to thinking and my tongue to talking better,” he sard, 
as he raised his head and sent a cloud of smoke almost 
to the ceiling of the car. 

“Now, let me see,” he continued ae he reached for 
the little book. “I believe I wrote that name near 
the middle of the book.” 

Clyde watched him closely as he slowly turned 
the leaves. 

“Yes, sir; here is the name,” he said. 

“All right; read it,” said the young man. 

“Clyde Newman. Do you know him?” he said, as 
he raised his keen eyes to Clyde’s. 

“Yes, sir.” 

“Did you ever associate with him?” quickly asked 
the stranger. 

“Yes, sir,” said the young man. 


AN UNEXPECTED FlUEND. 


37 . 


“Well, did he ever associate with you?'’ continued 
the stranger. 

“He has ; yes, sir.” 

“How long have you and this man associated to- 
,gether?” asked the stranger. 

“Almost thirty-eight years.” 

“Look here, young man,” said the stranger, “I will 
have to form a better opinion of you, or my estima- 
tion of that man will be lowered. If you know that 
Clyde Newman, you know the best engineer that ever 
boarded an engine or pulled a throttle, and one that 
can make an engine pace along just a little faster 
than anybody I ever saw. Say, young man, there is 
•a - chap that I would like to meet. When that con- 
ductor told me about him, and about how loyal and 
faithful he was, I said: ‘There is a man after my 
own heart.’ I would like to just look into the face 
of a man that has the nerve to handle an engine and 
make a train slip along like that fellpw did. Gee ! 
but I wish he could have had hold of this engine to- 
•day ! W’e would have been in T. two hours ago.” 

Clyde took his pass from his pocket and handed 
it to the stranger, who took it and read aloud the 
following words: “Pass Clyde Newman from C. to 
T., Colorado; account engineer. — B.” 

The stranger quickly rose to his feet, reached the 
young man his hand, and said : 

“And this is Clyde Newman? I feel just like some 
■one should whip me all over this car. I have called 
you a fake, accused you of being a thief, a robber 
and everything else. .'Pardon me, Clyde, and le't me 
:give that hand of yours a good shake. Right from 
now on you shall be my pard. S^y, Clyde, that man 
B. — I know him like a brother. Two years ago he 
was out here and camped with me for three or four 
months. He is a jolly good fellow. That man was 


38. b\lOM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

as thin as a rail when he came out here. He did not 
have enough blood in his veins to stain a white hand- 
Jcerchief. But you bet he did not stay that way long. 

I took him in and fed him beans and wild meats, and 
ran him over the mountains, chasing bear and turkey, 
and it-was not long until he was as fat as a hog that 
had been running on the mast all summer. How is 
he now? All right?” 

“Yes,” said Clyde. “I saw him just a few morn- 
ings ago. He was all right then. He told me that 
he was out here, some time ago, and that he dropped 
in with a jolly good gang. I believe he said that they 
•called themselves ‘Brad’s Gang.’ He said he hoped 
that I would find just such a crowd.” 

“Ha, ha!” chuckled the stranger. “That is right; 
he was in a jolly good crowd. This is Dick Bradley; 
they call me ‘Brad’ for short. I have a crowd of 
the finest men you ever saw. I won’t have any other 
jkind. I look over the country and when I see a man 
that is a good fellow and ha’s a nerve of steel, one 
that is not afraid to walk right up to an old bear and 
shoot him down like he would a lamb, I go to him 
and ask h'im to join my crowd. That way I have 
managed to get a good set of men, and I can depend 
^on them to a man. They are not a long-faced, sanc- 
timonious sort of men, but they believe in enjoying 
life. They are a little rough in their way^ but bet- 
ter blood was never pumped through any veins, nor 
braver hearts never beat than theirs. I will tell vou, 
Clyde, there is too much selfishness in this world, but 
my tent door is wide open, and just as long as there 
is room for a man to lay down, and just as long as 
I have a pound of beans, or a piece of bear meat 
left, I say to the hungry and tired, ‘Come on.’ They 
may call Old Brad rough and all of that, but he has 
-a heart, that does not only sympathize with but 


AN UNEXPEC PEI) FlilENI) 


39 , 

reaches out to help those that are hungry. The world" 
may be full of sympathy, but what does that amount 
to? Bread and meat and a place to sleep is what 
counts. That is my doctrine.” 

“Well, well,” he continued, “and this is Clyde New- 
man? You shall go right to my camp. I bet I will 
put some blood in those veins, and fat you up some, 
too.” 

“My physicians,” said Clyde, “told me to come to- 
the mountains, fish and hunt. I am glad that I met 
you. I shall try to make the best of the opportunity.” 

“Opportunity, nothing!” said Brad. “I never will 
forget that splendid ride you gave me on the Lim- 
ited. That ride down the road pays for that ‘oppor- 
tunity’ as you call it. Any man that has the nerve' 
to run over the road like you did that day, can do- 
anything. You won't be here a month until you can 
chase a bear right out of his den. I have a broncho* 
over at the camp that our old pard, Mr. B., rode. He 
is a dandy, too. He understands hunting bears bet- 
ter than two-thirds of the men that are trying to make 
it a business. And, say, Clyde, I have a rifle there- 
that just can’t be beat. When you pull down on old 
mister bear, he is yours, providing you hit him near 
the heart; but, if you don’t, you had better let old* 
‘Browny’ have the rein and hold onto the saddle, for- 
he is going to take you away right now.” 

“All right,” said the young engineer. ‘T will be 
pleased to accept your kind ofifer and S'hall endeavor- 
to ])rove myself worthy of your hospitality. Although 
I am afraid that I will make a poor hunter. I be- 
lieve that I can handle a throttle with a great deal' 
more skill than I can a gun, and ride an engine much 
easier than I can a broncho.” 

“I know,” said the stranger, as he dropped his 
heavy hand upon the young man’s knee, “that yoir 


40 . 


V-.IOM I'TLE TO THE THRONE. 

can handle a throttle and ride an engine just a little 
bit better than anybody I ever saw, but with your 
nerve the gun and pony will be but playthings for 
you in a short time. Tomorrow we will go out on 
a hunt. I know where there are several bears. We 
will go out and you can try your luck on the first one 
that we see. But, here, we have got to be getting 
readv to get oft* here. The next stop is T.” 

Soon the train stopped and the two men stepped 
off, and Mr. Bradley said : 

'%et us go around here to the' store and see if 
Sandy has come.” 

They walked around the station to a little store,- 
where they were met by a low, round-faced, heavily 
built man, and Bradley said : 

“Hello, Sandy?” 

"Hello, Brad?” came the answer. 

“Sandy,” said Bradley, “shake hands with the best 
engineer in the United States, ]\Ir. Clyde Newman. 
This is John Sandusky; we have pruned his name, 
too. We call him Sandy.” 

Clyde shook hands with him, and Bradley said : 

“Sandy, this is the man that I was telling you about. 
You remember that I told you that while I was in 
the East the last time that I rode on the ‘New York 
Limited,’ and how that train run?’ 

“Yes,” said Sandy. 

“Well, sir, right here is the man that pulled the 
throttle, that sent that engine like a bird over the 
road. He has come out to stay six months or longer 
wfth us. He knows our good .old friend, !Mr. B.” 

“Ah,” said Sandy ; “let us shake hands again for 
him. A bully good fellow, he is. Did he tell you 
about killing the bear?” 

“Yes,” said Clyde. “He told me about that the 
morning that I left there.” 


AN UNEXPECj EI) FlUEND. 


41 . 


“I can show you the very spot where he was and 
show you the troie that he climbed. He knocked nearly 
all of the bark off of the tree, trying to get to tlie 
first limb ! Ha, ha !’’ chuckled Sandy. 

“Here, here; come now, Sandy. Go and get the 
broncos; let us be going: How many did you bring?” 

“I brought three,” said Sandy. “I just supposed 
that you would play the Samaritan act and bring 
some one home with you.” 

“How far is it?” Clyde asked. 

“About thirty miles,” said Bradley. “I suppose 
that you would run that distance in about twen^ty- 
five minutes on the Limited? It will take us sev- 
eral hours on the ponies.” 

Sandy came around with the broncos, and Mr. 
Bradlev.took his telescope and coat and tied them on 
the saddle, pointed to old Browny, his favorite pony, 
and told Clyde to get on it. All mounted, they start- 
ed off in a fast trot and were soon lost from the 
sight of the little village in the depth of the moun- 
tains. 


42 . 


FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 


CHAPTER V. 

A RACE against DEATH. 

Thirty miles or more away from any city or vil- 
lage, hid away in a dark bend, formed into a horse- 
shoe shape, by the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, 
the stranger’s attention would have been attracted to 
a hunter’s camp. There were no railroads within 
hearing distance. No electric cars, such as we now 
see in the East, nor even a stage route ran by his 
door. But only a narrow pony trail, which wound 
around the steep mountain sides and plunged through 
the deep canyons as it led its way to the mountaineer’s 
lonely home. So completely was it isolated and shut 
in from the great outside world, that one could have 
looked in any direction and their gaze would have 
been met only by the towering mountains which 
stood lifting their snow-capped peaks high up into 
the heavens. 

This home was a rude aifair. It consisted of only 
two apartments. One a low cabin, built of heavy 
logs, covered with thick slabs, split from the bodies 
of large trees. It had but one door, which was pro- 
vided with a heavy shutter, made from the same 
material as the roof. There were no windows, but 
the large cracks between the logs served as so many 
ventilators through which the pure mountain air and 
floods of light could pour into the roughly con- 
structed room. This building was used not only as a 
sleeping and storage room, but it afforded them some- 
what of a protection from their nocturnal enemies 
which lie in their deep, dark caves in the rocks dur- 
ing the day, but rise with the falling of the dark 


A UAi;E against death. 43. 

mantle, under which they go and, with one ferocious- 
roar and mighty bound, leap upon their unsuspect- 
ing aiid sleeping prey. Directly in front of this build- 
ing was their ‘'kitchen and dining-room.” It was 
made together under one tent. Their range upon- 
which they did their cooking was constructed by mak; 
ing an opening in the ground near one corner of 
the tent. It was about eighteen inches wide, twenty 
inches deep, and two feet long, and was walled with 
thin rocks which were set upon edge. Over this open- 
ing was placed an old stove top, to which were at- 
tached three or four joints of pipe, the object of 
which was to lead the smoke out of the tent. Four 
posts were driven into the ground and sawed even,, 
or as nearly so as the trained eye of the hunter could 
measure. Pieces were nailed across these at the top,, 
over which were placed some rough boards, that 
served as their dining-table. While blocks, sawed 
from small trees, and boxes that had been carried on 
ponies from the distant villages, were their only 
chairs. 

One cool, frosty night in the month of April, while 
there was not even a gentle breeze to disturb a leaf 
or a twig, and the silvery moon, in all her beauty, 
was looking down upon the earth, as it lay wrapped 
in a deathlike silence, which was unbroken save by 
the lonesome howl of some lonely wolf calling to its 
mate, the low, coarse hooting of the large mountain 
oVl, or the heavy tread of some wild animal in search 
of his midnight supper, between eleven and twelve 
o'clock the sound of horses’ feet was heard in the 
distance, and three men rode up to the tent, dis- 
mounted, turned their horses loose to graze, and 
slowly walked to the door of the cabin. 

"Hello, Bill!” said one of the men, as his voice 
rang out on the midnight air. 


44. FUOM THF TtdLlOTTLF TO THF THLiONF. 

“Hello, Brad,” came the response from the inside,, 
while at the same time the heavy footfalls of its 
author were heard as he walked to the door, turned 
the large latch and swung open the heavy shutter. 

“Well, how are you. Bill ?” said Bradley, as he took 
Clyde by the arm and gently pushed him towards the- 
open door. “Here, shake hands with i\lr. Clyde 
Newman. This is Bill McCoy, one of my men.” 
The two shook hands and Bradley continued, say- 
ing : 

“Mr. Newman’s home is in C. He has come out 
to stay six months or more with us. You will find 
him not only a good, jolly fellow, but a man with a 
nerve sufficient to brave the lion in his den.” 

Bill stood and gazed at the young engineer, as the 
bright rays of the moon fell upon his thin, pale 
cheeks; while Clyde stood and looked into the keen 
black eyes of the strong man and wondered if a six 
months’ stay in the mountains would make him the 
proud recipient of the same wonderful blessings that 
others whom he knew had received by so short a 
sojourn in the high range of the Rockies. Or would' 
he feel again the same disappointment that he did 
the day he bade farewell to his fond mother and sis- 
ter and have to return to them, more broken in 
health than when he left them? 

“Humph!” thought Bill. “Old Brad has gotten 
gloriously fooled this time, if he has picked up this* 
tenderfoot thinking that he is a man of nerve. The 
first owl that hoots tonight will scare him half to 
death, and the first bear track that he sees tomor- 
row will finish him. But the fun John and I will have 
out of him will more than pay the trouble and funeral 
expenses.” 

Bradley stepped into the half-lighted room, walked 
to one corner and in rough, coarse voice called out: 


A IIACE AGAINST DEATH. 4 .. 

“John, get up!” 

Almost instantly a broad red-faced, curly-haired' 
mountaineer sat up in the bed, slowly began to move 
towards the edge, one step more, and a two-hundred- 
pound man stood on the floor. He turned his dark 
eyes toward Clyde, placed his hand upon his pistol, 
and gazed for a moment at the young stranger. But 
as the flickering rays of the tallow lamp fell upon. 
Clyde, he read the innocent smile that was stamped 
upon his manly face; he turned, looked straight at 
Bradley, and said : 

“This is a nice time to get a fellow out of bed. 
What do you want?” 

“What do I want?” said Bradley. “After a fel- 
low has traveled all day and half of the night with- 
out even smelling any grub, and then ask him what 
he wants 1” 

“I didn’t know,” said John, as he yawned and 
rubbed his swollen eyes. “I thought from the way 
you called me that maybe the bears were tearing, 
the roof off of the old shack, or else Indians were 
about to take the camp.” 

“Here, meet Mr. Clyde Newman from the city of 
C. This is John Louden. You will find out before 
you are here many days that he can do full credit 
to his name, too,” said Bradley. 

John reached Clyde his hand as he passed him,, 
winked at Bill, and the two men passed out of the 
building into the tent and began to prepare supper 
for the three late arrivals. 

“Gee!” said Bill, as he began to arrange the tin' 
plates and cups on the table, “I didn’t know that 
Old Brad was going to start a kindergarten or an 
orphans’ home out here in the mountains. About 
the next thing that he will have to do will be to 
stop the cracks in the old cabin, put in a furnace- 


4f). FliOM 'JHE TBFOTILE TO THE THKO^E. 

. heat, and hire a nurse/’ 

“That is about right,” said John. “Wonder what 
incubator he got him out of? If we have any fun 
out of the youngster, we have got to do it right 
away.” 

“You have said something now, John. I am afraid 
that bear meat and beans will be a little too strong 
for his stomach, and, as we have no milk. Old Brad 
will have to take his babe back to the home. We 
must take him out on a bear hunt tomorrow. One 
trip will do him, so we must get in our work at 
once.” 

“We will have a rifle practice tomorrow morning,”^ 
said John,” and see if he can stand to hear one 
crack. I don’t suppose that he ever heard anything 
louder than a fire-cracker, fire alarm or the whistle 
of a locomotive.” 

“We will saddle Old Bucking Joe, who will give 
him the first introduction to camp life. We want 
him to take every degree and get the full benefit of 
the initiation ceremony, and Old Bucking Joe will 
give him a good starter,” said Bill. 

“ ‘Mr. Clyde Newman’ ! Old Brad is getting ‘high- 
falutin’ in his old days. Ha, ha !” chuckled Bill. “We 
will take the handle off of that gentleman’s name. 
We will make him think that it is just old common 
‘Clyde’ before the sun sets again.” 

“John, go tell Brad to bring Sandy and his ‘Mr. 
Clyde Newman’ and come to supper.” 

John stepped to the door of the cabin and said: 

“Brad, you, Sandy, and ‘Mr. Newman’ may come 
to supper now.” 

Bradley looked up at John and caught the smiled 
upon his broad face and took in the situation im- 
mediately. He thought of how badly he was de- 
ceived in the looks of the young man and well knew 


A RACE AGAINST DEATH 


47 . 


that Bill and John would be equally if not worse 
deceived than he was. He rose and was followed 
into the tent by Sandy and Clyde, and when they 
were seated at the table Bill said: 

“This is your first trip to the mountains, is it not, 
"Mr. Newman’ ?” 

“My first trip to these mountains ; yes, sir,” said 
Clyde. 

“Did you ever hunt any?” asked John, as he looked 
•across at Bill, who was standing behind Clyde, watch- 
ing him trying to drink coffee from a tin that was 
so hot that it burned his lips. 

“Some — not very much,” said the young engineer. 
“I told Mr. Bradley that I was afraid that I would 
make a very poor hunter. But I am pleased to know 
that I will have such splendid teachers.” 

“There are a great many bears in these mountains. 
Sometimes they come up to our camp during the 
night and 'very often they break into houses and kill 
people,” said Bill, who was surprised to see that his 
words had no effect on the young man. 

“That is very unfortunate,” said Clyde firmly. 

After finishing their supper, they returned to the 
log building, and Clyde being greatly fatigued from 
his long journey retired and slept soundly during 
the remaining hours of the night. They arose early 
and after the morning meal Bill suggested that they 
have a rifle practice. Accordingly he tacked a piece 
of white paper on a tree, put a small black spot on 
it, and stepped back eighty yards. 

“Here,” he said as he reached the gun to Clyde, 
“you have the first shot this morning.” 

“You shoot first,” said Clyde. 

“Go ahead.” said Bill. “Knock the black out of 
that paper.” 

John touched Bill on the shoulder and in a sup- 


48. FRO.M THE TH ROTTLE TO 4TI E TH rv( )NE. 
■pressed tone said : 

“You had better put a bigger paper up there, if 
y'ou want to see how close he comes to that mark. 
He will miss that tree, but I guess he can hit the 
side of the mountain.” 

“Ha, ha,” chuckled Bill, who was amused to see 
Cl}'de holding the gun, which looked to be almost 
half as large as he was. “I suppose if he misses that 
mountain, the ball will get back to the earth some- 
where; he will not miss everything,” he said with a 
smile. 

Clyde took the gun and fired, the ball striking 
about one inch below the mark. John looked at Bill 
in utter astonishment, then looked at the young man 
and wondered if it was an accident or was it possi- 
ble that he could be deceived in him. 

“Try again,” he said. 

“No, no,” said Clyde, as he leaned the gun against 
a nearby tree. “You shoot and cut the center.” 

John took the gun, leveled his eye over the barrel, 
and sent a ball about one inch to the left of the mark. 
Bill shot, but the ball went wild, striking about two 
inches above. 

“ ‘]\Ir. Newman V try it again. I believe that you 
are the best marksman on the ground,” said Bill, as 
he winked at John and passed the gun t© Clyde. 

Clyde took the rifle and as it fell on a level with . 
the mark his k6en eye caught the sights. Scarcely 
had the echo from the report of the rifle rang out 
against the rocks and trees on the mountain side, 
than John exclaimed: 

“He knocked center!” 

“An accident,” drolled Bill, who was not only dis^ 
appointed, but more angry tlxin pleased with the 
accuracy with which the young man could handle the 


A IIACE AGAINST DEaTH. 49. 

“Put up another mark,” said Clyde, who under- 
•stood too well the object of the rifle practice. 

John walked to the tree and with a piece of char- 
coal placed another mark on the paper and stepped 
back out of the way of the bullet. 

“He can’t do it again,” said Bill, as he stepped 
nervously about the tent. 

Clyde took the gun and brought it down as be- 
fore, and again the mark disappeared. He reached 
the gun to John and walked to where Bradley was 
lying in the shade of a tree, enjoying his morning 
smoke. 

“Gee!” said Bill, “that hypocrite needn’t tell me 
that he has never been in these mountains before. 
If he can ride Bucking Joe like he can shoot, the 
fun will all be going his way before evening.” 

“You have done them just right. They expected 
to have some fun by seeing you miss that tree,” said 
Bradley, as he slapped Clyde on the knee. “But I 
knew from what that conductor on the Limited told 
me that they would get gloriously picked up at their 
own game. He said that you had practiced with 
your rifle from your cab window and that you could 
pick a bird off of the wing, while your engine was 
running twenty-five or more miles an hour. I told 
him that if you could handle a rifle like you could 
the throttle, that there was not a maa in my camp 
that could hold a candle for you to shoot by.” 

. “I believe,” said Clyde, “that I can hit that mark 
nine times out of ten. I know I could if I had my 
own gun.” 

“Come, boys,” said Bradley, as he knocked the 
ashes out of his pipe against his boot-heel and started 
into the tent, “get the ponies and let us be going.” 

“We will saddle Old Bucking Joe for Brad’s 'Mr. 
Clvde Newman’,” said Bill with a smile as he laid 


50. FROM THE TH [V )T I’LE TO TU E TH HONE. 

the rifle on the ground and started across a small 
stream of water, on the other side of which a dozen 
or more poines were grazing. He soon returned 
riding one horse and leading another — a large black 
well-muscled horse that no man had ever been able 
to ride. 

“ ‘Mr. Newman’,” said Bill, “as this is your first 
trip to the mountains, John and I thought that we 
would let you ride Old Joe. He is fat and sleek and 
the best saddler that ever had a girt buckled around 
him. He can carry a man further in a day and do 
it easier than any horse in Colorado. When you see 
a bear he will take you right up to him, and his 
training, together with your good markmanship, will 
enable you to bring several of the big fellows down 
today.” 

“Is he gentle?” asked Clyde, unsuspectingly. 

“Sure,” said John, who, like Bill, was anxious to 
see him get “throwed” by the bucking pony. “Any- 
one who can sit in the saddle can ride old Joe. As 
this is to be your first hunt, we thought it best to 
let you have the gentlest horse we have.” 

“My experience in horseback riding has been very 
limited, and I am sure that you and Mr. McCoy are 
very generous and considerate of my welfare, to 
offer me such a gentle and trusty horse. Such an 
act could be prompted only by kindness on your part, 
for which my appreciation knows no bounds.” 

“Get on and help me round up the other ponies,” 
said Bill, who was not only anxious to see Clyde 
thrown from the horse, but wanted to see it done 
before Bradley could come out and stop the fun. 

“I will try him, although I am afraid my service 
in the round-up will not be worth much to you,” 
said the young man, as he buckled on his spurs, 
placed his left foot in the stirrup and swung him- 


A llACE AGAINST DEATH. 51 . 

self into the saddle. 

John let loose of the bridle. The pony bowed his 
back, stiffened his legs and stood perfectly still. 

“Use your spurs,” said John, with a smile play- 
ing all over his broad face. 

Clyde thrust the keen spurs into the horse's sides, 
and the wild animal leaped forward, throwing his 
head to the ground. Clyde reined him up, and again 
he plunged forward; he stood on his hind feet, then 
on his front ones. He sprang forward, ran back- 
wards and leaped sideways, but the young engineer 
sat erect in his saddle and calmly held the reins of 
the bucking pony. 

“Look at him! Old Joe is about worn out; he 
will ride him, too,” said John, as he rushed to Bill, 
who, with an expression of disappointment and jeal- 
ousy stamped on his face, was watching the young 
man. 

‘T cut the front saddle girt more than half in two. 
I thought if Old Joe couldn’t throw him, that maybe 
it would break and he would fall off, but it looks like 
it is going to hold until Old Joe gives out,” said 
Bill. 

“Look!” said John excitedly. 

Bill raised his head, just as the horse plunged down 
a deep canyon and saw the saddle swinging by one 
girt at his side, and Clyde, with both arms extended, 
falling at his feet. Sandy stepped to the door of the 
tent just as Clyde’s body struck the ground, and 
rushed to his side. 

“Are you hurt?” asked Sandy, as he picked him up 
in his strong arms and laid him in the shade of a 
tree, and was rubbing his face and working his arms 
when Bradley came to them. 

“John, you and Bill come here. I believe that Mr. 
Newman is killed,” said Bradley, as he looked at the 


52 . 


FilOM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

young man who was lying on the ground. Clyde’s- 
face was wearing a deathlike color, his eyes were 
closed, every muscle was relaxed, and thick dark, 
blood was oozing from his nose. 

“Oh, hurry ! Let us save him !” said Sandy to Bill 
and John, who had stopped within a few feet of 
Clyde. 

“He is not hurt,” said Bilk “What if he is — what, 
would it amount to? He is only a tenderfoot dude. 

I am going after that horse that he let get away.” 

“What is the matter with him?” Bradley asked. 

”01d Joe throwed him,” said John. , 

‘'Old Joe never throwed him,” said Sandy. "He- 
could have ridden him, but the girt broke, and the 
saddle turned and throwed him oif.” 

-Clyde opened his eyes and looked at Sandy, who 
was still kneeling at his side. 

"Are you hurt, Mr. Newman?” he asked. 

"No; I am not hurt. I am just stunned a little,’^ 
he said as he tried to rise. 

"Let me help you,” said Sandy, as he took his 
hand and raised him to his feet. 

"I am all right now,” said Clyde as he took his 
handkerchief and wiped the blood from his face. 

"That was all Bill’s fault, and he shall account for 
it,” said Bradley, as his sharp gaze fell upon Bill, who^ 
was returning riding his own pony and leading Old 
Joe. 

"Don’t hurt him,” said Clyde, faintly. "I am all 
right now. I don’t think Mr. McCoy is to blame. 
The girt broke, or I could have ridden the horse.” 

"We know he is to blame,” said Sandy. "He knew 
that horse had never been ridden.” 

"I can’t think that he intended to do me an evil, 
but if he did it is all right with me. The best Man 
that the earth has ever known was persecuted,. 


A RACE AGAINST DEATH. 


53 . 


abused and betrayed, by some who claimed to be His 
best friends. But ‘When He was reviled, reviled not 
again : when He suffered. He threatened not ; but 
committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously/ 
He returned good for evil and His Holy Book teaches 
me to do the same. If Bill tried to do me an evil, I 
shall in turn do him good, if the opportunity ever 
presents itself,” said Clyde. 

At this juncture Bill rode up and Bradley said: 

“What are you bringing that bucking pony up here 
again for?” 

“For ‘Mr. Clyde Newman’,” he said, as he looked 
across at John, half smiling. 

“You turn that horse loose, and put the saddle on 
Old Browny. There is not a man in this camp tha,t 
can ride that bucking pony, unless it is Mr. Newman, 
and you know it.” 

‘T can,” said John. 

“You,” said Bradley, “would not get on his back, 
if it would save the life of the best friend you have, 
and you know it.” 

“Try me,” said John, boastingly. 

“Don’t let him bluff you,” said Bill as he threw the 
reins into John’s hands. 

“That horse is dangerous. It will take a better 
man than you or John to ride him,” continued Brad- 

“Humph!” said Bill. “John will show you and 
‘Mr. Newman’ in about a minute how to ride a wild 
horse, and you can see what cowards you are.” 

At this juncture tlie wild pony began to back, his 
red nostrils began to spread, his eyes were almost 
bursting out of his head and looked like two balls 
of fire, and his whole body shook. John’s face turned 
pale as he wrapped the long rope rein around a tree. 

The pony reared up on his hind feet and began to 


54. FROM TBE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

strike at John with his front ones. He leaped to one- 
side and knockel Bill off of his horse. Bill’s foot 
hung in the saddle stirrup, and without a second’s 
warning his pony sprang forward, kicking at him as 
he dragged him on against the trees and over the 
sharp rocks as he plunged on in his mad flight down, 
the steep mountain side. 

“Save him, save him!” cried Bradley. 

“What? what?” said John, as he stood trembling 
and began to let loose the rein of the plunging pony. 

“Go after him — go!” said Bradley, as he took John 
by tlie arm and pushed him towards the bucking 
pony. “Save the life of your best friend as you said 
you would.” 

can’t go, or I would,” cried John, as he turned 
to Clyde and said: 

“Oh, can you save him? Mr. Newman, save poor 
Bill !” 

“Yes, I can save him,” said the dauntless young 
hero, as he instantly jerked the rein from John’s 
trembling hands and leaped upon the back of the 
mad charger, which almost stood up like a man. 
Clyde plunged his keen spurs into his beating sides. 
He made one mighty leap forward and threw his 
head almost to the ground, but the young engineer 
calmly reined him up, pressed the spurs into his 
flanks and the wild beast bounded forward. Brad- 
ley and John stood speechless and as immovable as 
two statutes and gazed at the daring young stranger 
as he rushed on in his mad race with death. With 
his slender body slightly leaning forward, his hands 
gripping the reins, and his firm, steady gaze fixed 
upon the running object before him, he urged on his 
panting steed. He steadily gained on Bill’s pony 
until he reached his side. Once more he thrust 
his spurs into the horse’s bleeding sides, which made 


A RACE AUA1N>T DEa'I'M. 


55 . 


•him leap forward. He reined in front, sprang* from 
-his saddle and caught the bridle of the running horse. 
The frightened pony tried to whirl and jerk loose 
from him, but, though his body was frail, he stood 
like a Samson. His muscles, though small, seemed 
■to turn to muscles of steel. The horse reared and 
began to cut his face, arms and breast with his sharp 
hoofs, but, bathed in his own blood, undaunted, he 
stood and wrestled with the mad animal. He straight- 
ened his right arm and with a strength that he had 
never known before he brought the horse to his feet 
•and held him. He reached his other arm and freed 
from the stirrup the broken and mangled 'limb of 
the unconscious man at his side. 

He turned and looked into the blood-stained face 
of the wounded man, walked to a small brook, filled 
his hat with water, came and kneeled down by his 
side and washed the blood and dust from his bruised 
face. He raised Bill's head and pillowed it tenderly 
in his own wounded and blood-covered arms and 
was looking down upon the closed eyes of him who, 
but a few moments before, was planning to see his 
own body bruised and broken, when John and Brad- 
ley came up. John fell at his feet, looked up through 
his blinding tears into Clyde’s bleeding face. He 
threw his strong arms around him and said : 

“Mr. Newman, you are a hero and a savior to my 
friend. A thousand worlds like this would not pay 
you for this one heroic deed.” 

“I have done no more for him than he would have 
done for me. The victory is not yet won. Let us 
save him,” said Clyde. 

“Bill,” said the young hero, in a tender voice, 
“you are safe now. Your friends are around you.” 

Bill opened his eyes and looked for a moment into 
the eyes of the young man who was yet but a stran- 


50. FR( ) M T EE TH PKrrTLE TO TU E T H EONE. 

ger. In his semi-consciousness he fancied that ^ he 
was a boy again, in the dear old home of his child- 
hood. 

“Is it the warm, tender hand of mother, or that of 
an angel?” he said, as he felt the warm blood run 
down upon his pale face, that oozed from Clyde’s 
wounded fingers, as his soft hand wiped the cold 
drops of sweat from his brow. 

Clyde’s eyes filled with tears as he thought of his 
own invalid parent in her distant home, and won- 
dered if Bill had a mother and how her poor heart 
would ache could she but know that her boy’s life 
was at that moment hanging in the balance. He 
pressed him close to his breast and said: 

“No one can take the place of your dear old mother, 
but I will b€ your brother.” 

Bill opened his eyes again and looked into Clyde’s 
face, his lips paled and quivered, tears gushed into 
his eyes. He raised his wounded arms, threw them 
around Clyde’s neck, pulled him over and kissed 
him. 

“God bless you, you have saved me !” he said, and as, 
heart to heart, the blood from their wounded faces 
met and mingled together, thus was their friend- 
ship forever sealed by the lifeblood of each other. 

“Forgive me, Mr. 'Newman; I don’t know why I 
did it. I am unworthy of your kindness.” 

“You owe me no apology,” said Clyde. “I would 
die for you, if it were necessary.” 

“You have proved that,” said Bill, as he passed 
away into unconsciousness. 

“Let us carry him to the house,” said Clyde. “Go 
get a blanket.” John rushed to the camp and soon 
returned with a heavy blanket, which Clyde took and 
carefully raised BiU and placed him on it. They car- 
ried him to the log cabin and laid him on the bed. 


0 <. 


A i: A C E A G A 1 N STID E A 'I'H . 

His wounds were dressed and he soon returned to 
consciousness, Clyde was his nurse and constant 
companion. He watched by his bed and administered 
to his wants with all the kindness and tenderness of 
a brother. 

Bill improved rapidly and was soon able to go on 
crutches. He and Clyde would walk out and sit down 
on some log or rock near the camp and each on^e 
would tell the other the simple story of their life, 
and before the longest summer day had passed their 
acquaintance had ripened into a friendship that was 
as strong and eternal as the hills and mountains that 
stood around them. 


oS. 


FIIOM THE THilorTLE TO THE THRONE. 


CHAPTER VL 

HAD HE) BE:e:n A MOMENT LATER. 

One bright November day, while the leaves, which* 
had been touched and painted a golden hue by the- 
withering hand of the autumn frosts, were bathing 
themselves in the warm rays of the morning sun, 
and the squirrels and other wild inhabitants of the 
forest were busy storing away the ripe nuts in their 
winter homes, three hunters mounted their ponies 
and rode quietly away from the door of their tent. 
One was a young man who but a little more than six 
months before left his home in the East a pale-faced 
physical wreck, but who, at this time, was a large, 
broad-shouldered man. The pure mountain air had' 
kissed his colorless cheeks and left the paint of its 
crimson lips upon his manly brow. His short stay 
in the mountains had not only brought again the 
color of youth to his face, quieted his shattered 
nerves and made them as steady and firm as the 
sturdy oak of the forest; but it had built up his frail 
and slender body until he no longer seemed like the 
same unfortunate man he was six months before ; 
but his fondest hope, that of returning to his mother 
and sister, fully restored to health, was about to be 
realized. 

'‘Mr. Newman,” said Bradley, as he rode up by 
his side, “as this is to be your last hunt before you 
return to take charge of the Limited, I suggest that 
we go down in the dark bend where there is plenty 
of game. I want you to be able to tell our good old' 
pard, Mr. B., that Old Brad took vou to the very spot 
where he was treed by a bear. Ha, ha ! I oen see- 


HAD HE BEEN A WOMEIST LATEH. 59. 

that big, fat fellow yet, when Old Browny, that very 
pony that you are riding, jumped from under him, 
.and he had to hunt a tree, and that quick, too !” 

“I am very anxious that we have good success 
today, and that this may be a trip by which we will 
.always remember my visit to the mountains,’’ said 
the young engineer. 

“Remember your trip to the mountains?” said 
Bradley, as he urged his pony on. “If you haven’t 
made a hero out of yourself already, there has never 
been a man who has ever struck these mountains 
that ever did. Poor Bill ! He will never forget you. 
Those wooden legs, that he will have to carry to his 
grave, will serve as a forceful reminder of the first 
day that you ever spent at the camp. He can thank 
his stars that such a man as Clyde Newman was on 
hand one time. You talk about nerve ! If you haven’t 
.got it, there is not a man in this whole rocky range 
that has. A man that can board an engine and send 
a train down the road, or leap on the back of Old 
Bucking Joe and ride him like you did, must have a 
nerve made of iron.” 

“Listen !” said Clyde, as he drew the reins of old 
Browny and brought him to a sudden stop. 

“Ah, come on,” said Bradley, as he turned and 
looked at Clyde. “You don’t hear anything. I hav»^ 
just been boosting that nerve of yours, but if you 
are going to let as little thing as the cry of a fright- 
ened bird scare you out, I shall have to change my 
good opinion of you.” 

Clyde rode on, but again a keen, shrill noise fell 
upon his ears. He halted and said : 

“Mr. Bradley, I can't understand it. Surely it is 
some one in distress ! It sounds like the voice of a 
woman.” 

“If vou are going to lose your nerve said Brad- 


60. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

ley, “and become a tenderfoot at this late stage of 
the game, I will have Sandy to take you to the sta- 
tion, put a tag on you, and send you back to your 
mamma. A nerve that is as easily upset as yours is 
this morning couldn’t kill a bear, if he were chained 
to a tree.” 

“Help! help!” came the shrill screams of a femi- 
nine voice. 

“What — what can it mean?” said Bradley, as he 
turned and faced Clyde. 

“I don’t know, and this is no time to discuss the 
question,” said the young man, as he sprang from 
his saddle, threw the reins into Bradley’s hands and 
started in the direction from which the noise came. 

Directly in front of him appeared a young lady, 
her small slender body was slightly bent forward, 
her long, dark brown hair was falling loosely about 
her shoulders as she rushed across the narrow path 
and started down the steep mountain side. 

“Help ! help !” she cried, as she plunged into and 
pushed her way through the thick brush that was 
crossed and matted in her path. 

“A woman, and she is crazy!” said Bradley. 

“No!” said the young man as a large black bear 
leaped across the path a few feet behind her. 

Clyde raised his rifle to his shoulder, his keen eye 
caught the sights, an instant more the gun fired, and 
when the smoke had cleared away he saw the pros- 
trate form of the young lady lying unconscious on 
the ground and the big black monster lying dead 
close by her side, with a bullet hole through his 
heart. 

“You have killed him!” shouted Bradley, who was 
almost overcome with surprise and astonishment. 

Clyde rushed to the young lady, raised her head, 
brushed back the long brown locks, and looked down 


HAD HP: BEEN A MOMENT LATER. 


01 . 


into her young face. 

“Who can she be? Why was she out here in these 
wild woods alone ?” he thought, as he took some water 
from his flask and bathed her smooth cheeks. 

She opened her brown eyes and gazed for a mo- 
ment at the young stranger, who was still kneeling 
at her side. 

“Let me go !” she said. An expression of fear cov- 
ered her face, her whole body shuddered, as she 
began to pull away from him. 

“Young lady, you are safe now. Though a stran- 
;ger, yet I am your friend. I will protect you and 
take you anywhere you want to go” said Clyde with 
a tenderness in his voice that he had never known, 
even when he took his own sister by the hand and 
bade her good-bye. 

“Is it possible that I am saved?” she asked faintly, 
.as she closed her eyes and passed again into un- 
consciousness. 

Once more Clyde bathed her face, and again she 
opened her eyes, as she tried to raise herself, but 
'was too weak. 

“Let me help you,” said Clyde as he took her hand 
and gently raised her to her feet. 

“Oh, oil!” she cried, and sank down into Clyde’s 
strong arms as she pointed to the dead bear which 
was lying close at their feet, with his large mouth 
open and his long white teeth showing. 

“I knew He would save me,” she said as she caught 
Clyde's large rough hand in hers. 

“You knew who would save you?” asked Clyde, 
as his own heart heaved in his breast and began to 
beat faster in sympathy with that of the young lady’s. 

“I knew God would save me,” she said, as she 
turned her eyes, which were beaming with intelli- 
■gence and refinement, to Clyde’s and caught the tears 


G2. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

that gushed into his eyes while he looked down upon 
her lovely countenance as the sun’s rays seemed to 
drive all sense of fear from her heart and dry her 
flowing tears with their kisses. 

“Yes, I knew God would save me. He sent you 
to me, and I thank Him, oh, so much for it,” she 
said. 

“Tell me where your home is, and I will take you 
back to your mother,” said Clyde. 

“Oh, you can’t. I can’t go home; my mother 
won’t let me,” she said as fresh tears ran down her 
cheeks. 

“What, you are not in this world all alone, are 
you?” asked Clyde, as he brushed the hair from her 
face. 

“Yes — no; not all alone, though I had just as well 
be dead. Oh, this world is so dark and sad to me,” 
she said. 

“Tell me where you live and I will take you home,” 
said the young man, as he looked down on the trem- 
bling form of the young lady. 

“I have no home,” she said with a sigh. “I once 
had a home, but my mother drove me away, and 
told me never to come back.” 

Clyde stood in silence and gazed at the poor, un- 
fortunate girl, and wondered how her mother could 
drive her from her own home, one who was so good 
and lovely as she. He turned his eyes to Heaven 
and thanked God for such a mother as his. He con- 
trasted his own dear parent with that of the young 
lady’s and wondered how so much difference could 
exist between two women. He thought : “How cold- 
hearted, how base, how inhuman must be the woman 
that could drive this fair daughter from under her 
roof. Was it some crime that she had done? Was 
it some horrible sin that she had committed, that 


HAD HE BEEN A MO.SiEN 1' LA'Jil^:K. G3. 

made her an outcast?” “No!” His manly nature 
rebelled against such thoughts. “If she was good 
and virtuous, why did she drive her away? If she 
had sinned, why didn’t she save her?” 

' “Young lady,” he said, “if you have a home, tell 
me where it is and I will take you to it. If not, tell 
me the secret of your life, and I will render you any 
assistance that my limited ability will make possible.” 

“Kind sir,” she said, as she gazed into Clyde’s 
manly face, “you are a stranger to me, but I call 
upon Him, who knows all things and does all things 
well, to witness while I tell you that I have no secret 
in life. My life is an open book; the story is short 
and simple. My name is Silvey W., my home was in 
an Eastern city. I rebelled against, not my parents, 
but their religious views. I loved my Bible, but was 
not allowed to read it. It was taught that it was suffi- 
cient for me to hear the Word of God from those 
whom God had appointed to expound it to me, and 
that I should accept their interpretation as true. I 
was taught to believe that the Pope of Rome is in- 
fallible, and that I must call the priest ‘Father,’ but 
my Bible says not a word about a Pope, but just the 
contrary is taught in God’s Holy Book. Jesus said : 
‘But be not ye called rabbi: for one is your Master, 
even Christ; and all ye are brethren. And call no 
man your father upon the earth: for one is your 
Father, which is in Heaven.’ I was taught to rev- 
erence the Pope of Rome, as the true representative 
of God on earth, but if Jesus ever established such 
an office, He said nothing about it; if His Apostles 
knew anything about it, they never mentioned it, and 
if the Christians of the First and Second centuries 
knew of it, their pens and tongues were kept silent 
on the subject. I was taught to confess my sins, at 
least once a year, to the priest, but if such an act is 


64. FROM THE Til ROTTLE TO TE4E Til KoN E. 

binding on the people of God, my Bible says noth- 
ing about it. It is true that James says for us to 
‘confess our faults one to another,’ but it does not 
say for us to confess our faults to a priest. That 
Divine injunction is just as obligatory on the part of 
the priest as it is upon us. If James teaches me, that 
my salvation in Heaven depends upon me confessing 
my sins to a priest, he makes a like obligation bind- 
ing upon the priest, that of confessing his faults to 
me, and his final salvation would depend upon it. I 
was urged by my confessor to attend a convent. Re- 
assured me that God would endow my soul with the 
richest and highest gifts of Heaven. But such a 
thought was repulsive to my very nature. How could' 
I choose such a living death? How cbuld I turn ray 
back upon all that I loved and go into seclusion for 
the balance of my days? How could I give up my 
young life, in the service of that in which I did not 
and could not believe? I was chided by my confes- 
sor for the weakness of my faith. I was urged by 
my parents to make the great sacrifice, but I could' 
not. 

“About this time I met a Protestant minister who- 
was a man of great learning and faith. I told him 
the condition of my poor mind and heart,- and he 
showed me a sympathy like unto that which the dear 
Son of God showed to the poor downcast and sin- 
ridden souls. He took his Bible and taught me the 
way of Eternal Life. My poor heart beat with grati- 
tude, as my ears eagerly drank in every word that 
he uttered, and, thank God, the light dawned and' 
for the first time in life I learned that faith in Christ 
and prayer to God was the gateway that led my poor 
soul to the throne of His eternal love and mercy. 
With joy unspeakable, I thanked him for his kind 
words of instruction, dried, my flowing tears and 


HAD HE BEEN A MOMENT LATER. 

rusheia to my mother to tell her the joyful news.. 
]My heart leaped with joy as I sat down by her side 
and began to reveal to her God’s eternal truth. But 
imagine my surprise when she rose to her feet, full, 
of indignation and fastened her gaze upon me. I 
rose ; my eyes were swimming in tears, my heart 
was tossing like a foundered vessel in mid-ocean. I 
faced my parent, half doubting. I asked myself: 'Is 
this the same sweet spirited mother that has light- 
ened all of my sorrows in childhood, made my path 
through life fragrant with the sweet ever-blooming 
dowers, from the garden of her maternal love, or has- 
some demon invaded our happy home, reached his 
black hand, withered her motherly affection, and 
])lucked out that loving heart which has always re- 
sponded to my smiles and shared with my joys?’ 

“ ‘Daughter,’ her voice, oh, so unlike the dear voice 
of my mother, rang in my ears, ‘you have sinned 
against high Heaven. Recant and go at once and 
ask forgiveness for this most grievous sin. Can it 
be possible that my daughter has turned out to be 
an heretic?’ 

‘‘ ‘Mother,’ I said, ‘is it a sin to learn more about 
God’s Word?’ 

“‘Is it possible that my daughter has become an 
heretic? Go at once for absolution, or I, shall have 
to disown you,’ she said, as she drew herself away 
from me. 

“T turned and walked into my room, threw myself" 
across the bed, and cried until the pillow was wet 
with my tears. I thought of how sad it would be for 
me to leave my dearest friends on earth, and the dear 
old home, in which my girlhood days had measured 
out their length. I thought of how dark and hideous 
the life of an outcast, who must face a cold and un- 
friendly world alone. 


(5(5. FRO.M THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

“‘Oh, what can I do?’ I cried as I rose and took 
niy Bible, opened my stove to cast it into the flames^ 
.stand and, through my blinding tears, watch it burn, 
knowing that my poor heart would ache as ifjt, too, 
were being reduced to ashes. I halted, opened it to 
once more look upon its sacred pages, and my eyes 
fell upon these words of the dear Jesus: ‘Whosoever 
therefore shall confess Ale before men, him will I 
confess also before my Father which is in Heaven. 
But whosoever shall deny Me before men, him will 
I also deny before my Father which is ijii Heaven. 
Think not that I come to send peace on earth: I 
came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come 
to set a man at variance against his father, and the 
daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in- 
law against her mother-in-law. And a man’s foes 
shall be they of his own household. He that loveth 
father or mother more than Ale is not worthy of Ale : 
he that loveth son or daughter more than Ale is not 
worthy of Ale. And he thtat taketh not his cross, 
and followeth after Ale, is not worthy of Me.’ I 
closed the precious Book, wrapped it carefully and 
placed it in my trunk. I kneeled and prayed that 
God would give me power to take up this heavy 
cross and follow Him. I then went to my mother, 
threw myself in her arms, and between mv sobs said : 
‘Dear mother, forgive me, but I can’t — I never can 
go to confession again. A thousand times better 
would it have been could I have died in my inno- 
cent childhood days and were now sleeping by the 
side of my sister dear, under the evergreen, in yon 
churchyard: now it would be a relief to your sor- 
rowing soul to go at eventide and sit between the 
two little mounds, beautify them with flowers moist- 
ened by your flowing tears, and dream of the happy 
days we spent in peace together. But I must telf 


HAD IIK BEEN A MOMENT LATEH. 67. 

you now, mother, I can’t be a nun. Jesus never im- 
posed such a miserable life upon any living soul. I 
now turn my back forever upon the confession-box, 
convent, and the church that you have always taught 
me to reverence, and turn my face to Jesus, accept 
Him, instead of a priest, as my mediator, and the 
-sacred Bible, instead of a man-made catechism, as 
my guide through life.’ 

“ ‘Say, then, that you will turn your back upon 
mother, father, home and friends !’ said my mother, 
‘and be a traitor, an heretic, an outcast, a vagabond 
and a beggar, with the wrath of the Eternal God 
and His Holy Church called down upon you. You 
can’t stay under my roof and be a rebel against God 
and His holy priesthood. You must go or recant. 
Choose now between mother, home and wealth, on 
one hand, and friendliness, homelessness and pov- 
erty on the other.’ 

“These words of my mother fell like a mighty ava- 
lanche upon my aching ears, my nerves gave way, 
every muscle in my body relaxed, and I sank down 
at her feet and cried while a great battle was raging 
in my already torn and bleeding heart ‘Which must 
I choose?’ I thought. The memories of the happy 
days of the past, with all their joys and pleasures, 
crowded into my mind, fought for the supremacy, 
and urged me to go back, recant, confess to the priest, 
and be enthroned in a mother’s affection and reign 
again as the queen and idol of her heart. I raised 
mv eyes to hers and said: ‘Oh, mother, mother! 
How can you treat me thus?’ 

“ ‘Recant or go !’ she said sharply. 

“1 buried my face in my arms and again the battle 
raged, and again the words of Jesus came to me: 
'Every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, 
or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife and children. 


08. FROM THE TH KOTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hun- 
dred-fold, and shall inherit everlasting life.’ With 
a power born of heaven,. I rose to my feet, looked 
my enraged parent, in the face, and said: When my 
father and mother forsake me, then will the Lord 
take me up.’ 

“My mother turned her back upon me. My pale 
lips quivered and turned to an ashy white, fresh tears 
gushed from my eyes and washed down my swollen 
face, and my heart heaved within me. I planted 
the last kiss upon my baby sister, walked out into 
a cold and friendless world alone, and turned my 
back upon pleasure and wealth, to face sadness, pov- 
erty and to be branded as an heretic and an outcast. 

“‘Where can I go?’ I thought. To my friends? 
No, they are all of the same faith of my mother. 
I thought of an uncle in Colorado, who was reared 
to believe as I was taught. He became a skeptic 
■ and denounced the church and moved to the West. 
I started to find him, believing that I would receive 
better treatment from the hands of an infidel than I 
could from those who claimed to be God’s elect. I 
came to his home, and told him the story of my life. 
He extended to me his strong arms for protection, 
he gave me food and shelter, and, though he is a 
scholarly infidel, he has more of the Christlike spirit 
and perfect manhood about him than- all of the men 
that I have ever met before. He helped me to se- 
cure a school over here in the mountains, and I had 
started over to teach when 'that terrible beast would 
have .devoured me but for your timely arrival. 

“Kind stranger,' you have heard the simple story 
of my life. If you think me worthy of your protec- 
tion, God knows that I would be grateful.” 

Clyde stood in profound silence and listened to the 
sad story of the young lady and his eyes glistened 


HAD HlC BEEN A xMOMEX l' LATER. «!). 

with tears as he looked into her small round face. 
-Her words, together with her sweet ladylike dispo- 
sition, had reached out and taken hold of the very 
heartstrings of his sypmathetic soul, and held him 
wdth a power that he could not understand. He 
stepped towards her and, with a look that bespoke a 
feeling stronger than mere friendship, said: 

“Young lady, pardon me if I seem impertinent, 
but the story of your young, tender life has appealed 
to me with an interest that seems to be my oyvn. It 
has opened up the floodgates of my soul and has 
awakened in me’ a desire which is all but beyond my 
power to control, to pour out my contempt upon those 
who have not only robbed you of God’s highest and 
noblest gift, that of worshiping Him according to the 
dictates of your own conscience, but have driven you 
■out, exposed to all of the jeers of an unsympathizing 
public, to fight life’s battles through this cold and 
unfriendly world alone. If it was the hand of the 
world’s best religion that plucked from you your 
God-given privilege, that tore you from your mother’s 
■bosom, and debarred you forever from a place in her 
aflfection ; if it was the hand of the world’s best re- 
ligion that crushed your tender, loving heart, tram- 
pled upon your flowing tears, blighted your young 
life, and brought upon you this living death, I now 
raise my hand and pledge my eternal hatred for such 
a religion. I shall step over on the side on which 
your uncle stands, and fight the hydra-headed mon- 
ster until he lies wounded and torn at my feet.” 

“Hv kind sir,” she said, “it was not the hand of 
the world’s best religion that has so wronged my life 
and made me an outcast; but it was the poisoned 
tongue of that slimy old Dragon that once ruled Rome 
with a rod of iron, perverted God’s truth, blighted 
homes, ruined women and murdered Christians. It 


70. PROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

has crawled down through the centuries, and its trait 
is traced upon the pages of history that are stained 
and made, crimson by the lifeblood of the millions 
of its victims. No, it was not that religion which 
fell from the pure lips of the lonely Man of Galilee, 
who came to this poor, sin-cursed world with healing 
upon His lips and salvation in His hands. No, it 
was not the religion of Him who died that we might 
live. His religion brings comfort to the sorrowing, 
joy to the heart, peace to the home, and those who 
come unto Him He will in no wise cast out.’' 

“Such a religion as His I can indorse. It has 
within it the spirit of love and sympathy,” said 
Clyde. “But,” he continued, ‘‘would you like to go 
to your uncle’s home?” 

“If you please, sir. I am too nervous to go alone,” 
she said tenderly. 

‘T will see that you arrive there safely, and will 
regard it a pleasure to be of that much service to 
you. Just remain here a minute,” Clyde said, as he 
walked to where Bradley and Sandy were standing. 
He bade them good-bye, and retunred, and with the 
young lady by his side he started across the moun- 
tain. They soon came to a broad valley that was 
yielding up its full crop of ripe corn, which was 
ready for the hand of the reaper. On the other side 
of the field stood a white house, which the young lady 
pointed out as that of her uncle’s. As they slowly 
followed the narrow path, which wound its way 
around the field, through the gates and across the 
little brook, Clyde told the young lady the story of 
his life, and was careful to mention his mother and 
sister, who were waiting his return, in his far-away 
home. When they reached the house, her uncle came 
to the door and said: 

“Well, Silvey, you are early today. Did you have 


HAD ilE BEEN A MOMENT LATEIE 


71 . 


a new pupil and have to bring him over and intro- 
duce him to your old uncle ?” 

“Xo,” she said, as she fell in his arms and be- 
tween her sobs told him the story of her narrow 
escape from being torn to pieces by the terrible, 
brute. 

“Well, who is this?” her uncle asked, as he looked 
at Clyde. 

“Pardon me,” said the young lady as she wiped 
the tears from her eyes. “This is Mr. Clyde New- 
man, and this is my uncle, Mr. James W.” 

Mr. W. reached Clyde his hand and in a trem- 
bling voice said: 

“^ly heart goes out in gratitude to you. I shall 
never be able to repay you for saving the life of my 
niece.” 

“You owe me nothing. I did what any man would 
have done — just my duty,” said Clyde. 

“Meet my wife and little daughter,” Mr. W. said. 

Clyde shook hands with Mrs. W., and then reached 
down and took the hand of little Nellie, their only 
daughter, who was a sweet-faced, brown-haired and 
blue-eyed girl, who came to their home to cheer their 
lonelv hearts but six summers before. 

“T extend to you the hospitality of my home; you 
are a welcome guest. Stay as long as you wish,”" 
said Mr. W., as he followed Clyde into the front 
room of his large mountain home. 


FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE.. 


CHAPTER VII. 


RENEWING HIS VOW. 

With the closing in of the dusky gloom of the 
last night in November, the wind rose and drove 
thick black clouds from the northwest, which poured 
their snow and sleet down upon the frozen earth. 
i\lr. W.’s old mansion was soon wrapped in a mantle 
of white, and the roar of the storm could be heard 
as the ice-ladened wind swept down the deep moun- 
tain chasms, whirled and hurled its burden against 
the walls of the house, as if trying to force an en- 
trance into its cozy rooms. 

“This is an awful night,” said Wr. W., with a 
shudder, while a fresh gust of frozen snow rattled' 
down upon the roof and against the doors and win- 
dows, as it was driven on by the shifting wind, which 
seemed to penetrate the ancient walls of the old time- 
scarred mansion, laugh at the sturdy oaks as it twist- 
ed and tossed their heavy branches, and swept up the 
dark mountain side as it urged on the raging storm. 

“If this is only the vanguard of the coming storms,, 
and they will get worse as the season grows older,. 
I wonder what we will get when King Winter dons 
his ice-covered armor, gets all of his force mar- 
shalled and begins his campaign in earnest?” he con- 
tinued. as he pulled his chair up to the large open' 
fireplace, warmed his hands over the red blaze which 
was leaping and licking its fiery tongue against the 
black walls of the old-fashioned chimney, and turned' 
to look at Miss Silvey and Clyde, who were enjoy- 
ino; a game of checkers with Mrs. W. and his little 
daughter, and said : 


KENEVVING HIS VO^V. 


73 . 


■‘■‘It looks to me like we could spend our time more 
profitably than to while it away around an old checker- 
board. If anyone has anything on their mind, let us 
have it. I would be willing to discuss any kind of a 
subject now, just so it will break the monotony of 
this howling storm.” 

“I have a subject that I would like to discuss, ot 
hear discussed, but am not quite sure that this is an 
opportune time or even the place for it. But, as 
uncle has said, it will help to break the irksomeness 
of this dreary evening; even if it should result in 
npthing more,” said the young lady, as she turned 
her large brown eyes to Clyde, who was looking 
straight into her face. He blushed and turned to 
gaze into the fire. His heart beat faster, for he well 
knew from the expression that he read on her fair 
face that her remarks would be altogether for him. 
^‘What can she mean?” he thought,, while at the same 
time there was a subject bearing down upon his own 
heart, which to him seemed to be far more weighty 
than the tallest mountain, whose frozen peak was 
that moment being kissed by the snow-covered lips 
of the shifting wind. But, unlike the young lady, 
he knew that was not the time nor place to pour 
into her ears the words of admiration and affection 
that their short acquaintance had awakened in his 
soul. 

“Unload,” said her uncle. “There is no use in 
keeping a heavy burden upon your heart when there 
are so many other willing ones to help you bear it?” 

“My remarks,” she said, “shall be addressed to 
Mr. Newman, and I trust that he will not think it a 
mark of bad breeding, nor the lack of refinement or 
education on my part, and you will excuse me for 
introducing a subject that the rules of good usage 
and etiquette would compel me to postpone to some 


74. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

-Other time. But as Mr. Newman is to leave us soon, 
I cannot under the existing circumstances defer the 
matter longer, with a consciousness of having done 
my duty.” 

“Any subject that you fell disposed to introduce 
shall be regarded by me as not only an appropriate 
one, but that the motive which prompted you was a 
.good one, and I am sure that your uncle, aunt and 
cousin will concur in my opinion,” said Clyde, more 
pleased than surprised. 

“Anything will be appropriate tonight. I don’t 
care anything about your rules of good usage or eti- 
quette; comfort is what I am after now, and I am 
getting very little of it out of these howling winds 
that seem to be playing hide and seek around the 
corners of this old mansion. Go ahead. We are all 
the same as one family, anyhow,” said her uncle as 
he threw his feet upon a chair and began to bake 
them before the fire. 

“Mr. Newman,” she said, “you have been with us 
but a few days, but as you are soon to leave us I 
thought that I would not be doing my duty without 
inquiring into your spiritual welfare. You may be 
a Christian and a devout member of some church, 
and I assure you that I have seen nothing about 
your everyday life that would indicate anything to 
the contrary. You are a talented young man and 
have a heart that is as tender as a woman’s, and if 
you are not a Christian already it would be a very 
easy matter for vou to become one and live a perfect 
life.” 

“Miss Silvey,” said Clyde tenderly, “I appreciate 
your compliments, but I am rather inclined to doubt 
your judgment in this particular, although in all other 
instances I believe it to be correct. I fear you have 
jue overestimated, by giving me credit for having 


REN E WING H IS VOW. 75. 

more intelligence than I possess and for being a bet- 
ter man than I really am. But I am sorry to inform 
you that I have never made any pretentions towards 
living a Christian life. I make but one claim, and 
that it is to be a moral man and honest in what I be- 
lieve and do. I have always thought, and do yet, 
that my honesty and morality will take me to Heaven. 

1 have never read the Bible, although I have one with 
me, but I will frankly admit that I have been inter- 
ested in other things more than I have in read- 
ing it. 

“Before I came out here, I became almost dis- 
gusted with the churches and church people. There 
are fourteen churches in my home city and each 
church has a different name, and the strangest thing 
about it is that their names are not found in the 
Jffble. When my sister told me that she had read 
the Bible through and could not find where one of 
their church names was mentioned, I was dum- 
founded. I told her that if those churches would add 
names that were not found in the Bible, that they 
might add doctrines that Jesus nor His Apostles 
never taught or authorized them to teach, and that 
we had better wait until we know just what it takes 
to be a disciple of Christ and into what church to go, 
before we try to become Christians. Those people- 
there seem to be so devoted to their church names, 
that some of them will become insulted if you, through 
mistake, address them by some church name that 
others glory in wearing. They stand on the street 
corners and argue and it is not infrequent that they 
get mad and sometimes fight over those things that 
are not found in the Bible. The preachers will get 
up in their pulpits on Sunday mornings and one will 
say, ‘Lo, here is Christ,' and another will deny it 
and tell the sinner to go somewhere else for salva- 


FROM 'JHE THHOT'ILF TO T IJ E THROVE. 

tion. Just that kind of church prejudice and preach- 
ing have not only kept up a confusion among the 
citizens, but have kept thousands of people out of the 
church, and sometimes have resulted in some of them 
going off into infidelity. Sister says she often won- 
ders, since reading the Bible, why the church people 
don’t do now like they did during the days of the 
Apostles. She said they had but one church, they 
all wore the same. name, went to the same place, and 
that the preachers all preached the same thing. Miss 
Silvey, why don’t you church people do that way 
now ?” 

“If the self-styled religious people would do that 
way now, I would be called a Christian instead of an 
infidel. That is just what shook my faith in the whole 
thing,” said Mr. W. 

“We must remember,” said Miss Silvey, ‘ffhat 
everybody can’t see alike, and that good and well- 
educated men have founded all these churches and 
they are all of God. Let us not criticise or fight 
them, lest ’haply we be found to fight against God.” 

‘T see now. Miss Silvey, that I would be incom- 
petent to enter into a discussion with you on this 
subject. You can quote and apply scripture and I 
cannot. I will admit that I never knew that there 
was any such scripture in the Bible. I am honest; 
all I want is to know the truth, then I am ready to 
obey it. As I can’t quote any scriptpre, I will quote 
an old proverb. It may be scripture, though I don’t 
know. It appears to me that it would make good 
Bible, if it is not. I have read or heard something 
somewhere that sounds nearly like this: ‘God is not 
the author of confusion.’ I don’t know whether 
that is Bible or not, but if it is it shows that God is 
not the author of those churches in my home city, 
for there is more confusion there among those 


RENEWING HIS VoW. 


churches- than I ever saw anywhere else,” said the 
young engineer. 

“That is scripture,” said her uncle, ‘‘and what I 
think is the strongest proof that the churches, such 
as we have now, are not of God.” 

“^Ir. Newman,” continued the young lady, ‘T see 
now that you can quote the rules that govern an 
engineer better than you can the Bible, and are more 
competent to apply the brakes on a locomotive than 
you are to apply a scriptural quotation. It is true 
that God is not the author of confusion, but that is 
no evidence that he never planted those fourteen 
churches in your city. That does not have refer- 
ence to the churches, but to the human weaknesses 
in the churches caused by the selfishness and hypoc- 
risy on the part of the members. Now, since you 
have tried to prove that those churches are not of 
God, I will take the Bible and prove to you that they 
are. ]\Ir. Newman, don’t those churches do good 
work in your home city ? Don’t they pick up the 
poor children from the streets, dress them and send 
them to Sunday School? Don’t they visit the sick? 
Don’t they help the poor? Don’t the preachers teach 
the people to be kind and Christlike? Are they not 
a power for good in that city?” 

‘‘Oh, yes. Miss Silvey, they do a great deal of 
good in that way and they are a strong factor in the 
temperance work there, and yield a tremendous in- 
fluence for good, which has about rid the city of the 
liquor curse,” said Clyde. 

“Here is some more scripture for you, which, to 
my mind, proves that all of those churches in your 
town are there by the will and authority of God: 
‘For there is no power, but of God; the powers that 
be are ordained of God.’ There are two kinds of 
power ; the power for good and the power for evil. 


78. FKOM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

All power for good, or that does good, is of God. 
These churches in your home city are a power for 
good, and therefore are ordained of God. Here is 
a little more scripture for you: ‘Let every soul ba. 
subject unto the higher powers.’ Can you and I be 
loyal to God and criticize his churches, which are the 
higher, yes, the highest power on earth? No; God- 
says for us to be subject to them, because He has 
ordained them.” 

“Ha, ha! A pretty good logician, aren’t you, Sil- 
vey? Why, then, were you not subject to your mother 
and the power of the Church of Rome?” said her 
uncle, while a broad smile was playing upon his lips. 

“Because that church has a power for evil, and is 
therefore not ordained of God,” she said, as an ex- 
pression of victory settled over her face. 

“I am doubly anxious to be a Christian, such as you 
are, but I don’t know how I can become one. If I 
understood the Bible well enough to obey God as He 
requires me to, I would not only comply with His 
commandments, but I would take the first train for 
home, and tell my mother and sister, so that they, 
too, could enjoy with me that liberty in which Christ 
makes us free,” said Clyde, as he looked up at the 
young lady, while a feeling of admiration, inexpres- 
sible, sprang up in his heart. 

“I can teach you the way of life and salvation,”" 
said the young lady. 

“I assure you. Miss Silvey, that I would consider 
it not only a pleasure to be one of your disciples, but 
will feel myself exceedingly fortunate to be taught 
by one who is so able and efficient in Bible knowl- 
edge. I shall endeavor to make my progress in the 
Christian life reflect creditably on my worthy instruc- 
tor, and, if you find me dull, which I am afraid you 
will, I trust you will give me credit for being stu- 


RENEWING HIS VOW. 


7 <). 

<lious, if not an apt pupil,” he said as he folded the 
checker-board and laid it on the table. 

“I don’t anticipate any trouble in presenting the 
truth, for I shall speak only as I am led by the Spirit 
of God. whose mission on earth is to guide us into 
all truth and bring all things to our remembrance. 
Neither do I think it will be difficult for you to see 
the truth, for I shall constantly pray God that He 
may open up your understanding, that you may un- 
derstand the scriptures.” 

“For the sake of clearness, I shall ask and answer 
the following question : How are we saved ?” 

“That is just the question I have always wanted 
to hear answered, and 1 am so glad you are going to 
discuss it first. My sister went to hear two scholarly 
ministers preach on that subject, and they differed as 
wide as the sea in their answers. I can’t see why, 
if they were called, qualified and sent by the Hoi} 
Spirit, as they claim they were, that they did not 
lireach the same kind of a doctrine. They did not 
■only claim that they were called to the ministry, but 
that God had called them to preach for those particu- 
lar churches. I can’t understand why God would 
send them to those churches to preach such conflict- 
ing doctrine in the same town. They don’t differ 
only in regard to the name that God’s people should 
wear, but as to how the sinner is saved,as well. That 
is another reason that I think that those churches 
were not ])lanted bv the unerring hand of God,” said 
Clyde. 

“I can’t understand why they differ,” said the 
young lady; “only I know that one of them was not 
led by the Spirit and power of God. Now, let us 
take up our question : ‘How are we saved ?’ The 
first thing that we will do, will be to go to the Bible 
and see what it says about our subject. In Acts, 


80. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

nhe sixteenth chapter and thirtieth verse, we find these 
words: ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ This 
is the only place in the New Testament since the 
-ascension of Christ, that anyone ever asked this ques- 
tion of any inspired man. You may say, ‘No, the 
Pentecostians and Saul asked the same question.’ 
Let us see : the Pentecostians asked, ‘Men and breth- 
ren, what shall we do?’ not what shall we do to be 
saved. Saul asked, ‘Lord, what wilt Thou have me 
•to do?’ and not What wilt Thou have me to do to 
be saved? These three words, ‘To be saved,’ threw 
an entirely different meaning on the question, which 
you may not be able to see now, but will be before 
We get through with this subject. Now let us re- 
vturn to the jailer’s question and notice it under the 
following divisions : 

“First, what was the question asked? Second, by 
whom was it asked? Third, by whom was it an- 
-swered? Fourth, what was the answer given? As 
to the first question, ‘What was the question asked?’ 
we read that the keeper, when he saw that the doors 
of the prison were open, came trembling, fell down 
at the feet of Paul and Silas and said: ‘Sirs, what 
must I do to be saved?’ This question needs no com- 
ment; the jailer wanted to be saved from his sins. 
Second question: ‘By whom" was it asked?’ By the 
keeper of a prison in a heathen city. A man who, 
no doubt, was a great sinner. Third question : ‘By 
whom was it answered ?’ By 'Paul, who was not only 
an inspired man but an Apostle who was specially 
called to bear the name of Christ to the Gentiles. 
His answer was given by inspiration and therefore 
bound to be correct. Fourth question : ‘What was 
the answer given?’ This question is not only para- 
mount in importance, but is is broad-reaching in its 
scope. It includes all of the sons of Adam, and 


RENEWING HIS VOW. 


81 . 


'Comes to us as fresh and freighted with as much in- 
4:erest as it did to the heathen jail keeper in Phillippi, 
nearly two thousand years ago. Paul said to the 
poor sin-burdened soul at his feet: ‘Believe on the 
Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy 
house.’ This answer fell from lips that had been 
touched by the living coals of inspiration, and must 
therefore be true. This is not a special case, but a 
model one, and as the jailer was saved, so can every 
rsinner be saved. What did Paul tell him to do ? ‘Be- 
lieve on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be 
saved, and thy house.’ So, then, you see that it is 
faith that saves us. Now let us see if Paul’s answer 
to the jailer is in harmony with the teaching of 
Christ, who is not only the author of our faith, but 
the New Testament as well. Let us turn to John 
the third chapter and sixteenth verse, and read how 
Jesus says we are saved: ‘For God so loved the 
world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that 
whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but 
have everlasting life.’ So we see that the one con- 
dition upon which Jesus offers salvation is to believe 
on Him. Any one that believes on Him is saved, and 
those that do not believe on Him are not. To prove 
this, let us read the words of Jesus in John the third 
chapter and the thirty-sixth verse : ‘He that be- 
lieveth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that 
believeth not the Son shall not see life ; but the wrath 
-of God abideth on him.’ Now, suppose that we 
spring another question. Has faith ever saved any 
one? Has any one ever been justified by faith? Yes: 
Paul said to the Romans that they were justified by 
faith. Do you want the proof? Read the first verse 
-of the fifth chapter of Romans: ‘Therefore being 
justified by faith, we have peace with God through 
'Our Lord Jesus Christ.’ Again, ‘Abraham believed 


82. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

God and it was counted unto him for righteousness.' 
So far, we have learned that it is faith that saves us. 
If we have no faith, we can have no salvation. Now, 
let us ask: How does faith come? Let us turn to 
the Bible again : ‘For by grace are ye saved through 
faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of 
God : not of works, lest any man should boast.’ So 
you see that we are justified by faith, which is not 
a work of our own, for then we could boast, but it 
is the gift of God. You may ask: What prompts 
us to believe? Paul answers your question; listen 
to him: ‘For it is God that worketh in you, both 
to will and to do of His good pleasure.’ What is 
the work that He does in us? Let Jesus answer: 
‘This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him 
whom He hath sent.’ You may ask: How are we 
quickened, so we can believe? Jesus answers the 
question for us; He says: ‘It is the Spirit that 
quickeneth ; the flesh profiteth nothing : the words 
that I speak unto you, they are spirit and thev are 
life.’ 

“We have learned that we are saved by faith, and 
that it is the gift of God, and that we are made to 
believe on Him, because He works in us. God works 
in us by the Holy Spirit, and Jesus calls it a quick- 
ening. To sum up our argument,' it would be: First, 
God gave His Son to save the world. Second, we 
are saved by faith. Third, faith is begotten in our 
heart by the quickening power of the Holy Ghost. 
Fourth, we are sealed by the Holy Ghost, by being 
baptized into the one body by the Holy Spirit, Paul 
says : ‘For by one Spirit are we all baptized into 
one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether 
we be bond or free ; and have been all made to drink 
into one Spirit.’ 

“No doubt you have wondered what the difference 


RENEWING HIS vow. 

is between the questions: ‘What must I do to be 
saved?’ and ‘What must I do?’ The difference is just 
as great as that which exists between an alien sinner 
and a newly born babe in Christ. The jailer asked: 
‘What must I do to be saved?’ 'Paul told him to be- 
lieve on the Lord Jesus Christ. He had never had 
faith in Christ and of course was not saved. Paul told 
him to believe in order to be saved. Not so with 
the I’entecostians, which accounts for them asking: 
‘What must we do?’ instead of: ‘What must we do 
to be saved?’ They, unlike the jailer, already had 
faith and were, therefore, saved. Jesus said: ‘He that 
l)elieveth on the Son, hath everlasting life, and he that 
believeth not the Son shall not see life.’ The Pente- 
costians believed on Christ before they asked what they 
must do, and therefore, according to God’s word, had 
everlasting life, but the jailer did not have faith, and 
according to the words of Jesus, could not §ee life. So 
you see that the difference between the two questions 
is as wide as the restless ocean. The jailer asked what 
he must do to be saved from his alien sins, and the 
I^entecostians, being already saved from their alien 
sins, ask what they must do to glorify God, by walk- 
ing upright before Him. So you see how harmonious, 
how systematic, how plain, how consoling and how 
ix)werful is God’s Word. It has comforted the sor- 
rowing, relieved the suffering, and saved the dying. It 
has exalted the lowly, bowed down the proud and 
brought light and joy to the denizens of earth. The 
blessed Spirit conies into the heart of every sinner, 
ascends to the throne of his moral nature, points out 
the way of life, at every turn of the road, takes pos- 
session of the consicence, condemns him for his every 
sinful act and cheers him on, as he slowly plods his 
wav in that narrow path that leads him towards the 
shining gates of the city of God’s Eternal Love. Truly 


84 . 


FROM THE, THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

can it be said, in the words of the Prophet of old : 'And. 
an highway shall be there, and away, and it shall be 
called the way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass 
over it ; but it shall be for those : the wayfaring men, 
though fools, shall not err therein.’ And with the 
countless millions of God’s redeemed, we can hurl that 
glorious gospel axiom: ‘Salvation by faith only, is a 
most wholesome doctrine and very full of comfort,’ 
upon the wings of every wind, to be wafted from the 
rose covered and sun kissed banks of the South land, 
to Greenland’s icebound shores, and from thence, until 
its echo has crossed the storm tossed waters of every 
sea, and their isles, together with every nation and 
country, shall be awakened from their slumber, and 
send up to the very gates of heaven, the glad hosanna 
of praise, and glory, and dominion, to the Lamb that 
was slain, but who now lives to rule and reign for- 
ever more.” 

“Miss Silvey,” said her uncle, as he turned and 
faced the young lady, who was congratulating herself 
upon the splendid impression she had made upon the 
young man’s mind, “I have patiently listened to your 
religious harangue and I can no longer keep silent on 
the subject. This is the first time for years that I 
have been tortured by having to listen to the discus- 
sion of that superstition, falsely termed, a Divine re- 
ligion. I want to say here and now, that I have read 
the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and if that is the 
best you can do, I have no confidence, in either your 
theory or your ability to interpret the Bible correctly. 
I have often thought, that, were I to find a religious 
people who accepted the Bible just as it is written, 
leaving out all human rules and man made doctrines, 
and obey the commandments just as the Bible teaches 
them, I would give them credit for being honest and 
consistent at least. But your theory would make God, 


RENEWING HIS VOW, 


85 . 


if there be one, not only a demon, but responsible for 
every sinner in that dark and gloomy pit, called hell. 
You have said that our salvation is offered upon the 
condition of faith alone, and that we can do nothing to 
bring about this faith, but God must send His' Spirit 
to work in us and quicken us to believe in Him. 
Thousands of good and honest souls have died without 
faith in God, and according to the Bible they were 
lost. Jesus says: ‘He that believeth not shall be con- 
demr.ed.’ Why were they condemned? Because they 
did not have faith? Whose fault was it that they did 
not? Not theirs, because, according to your theory, 
they could have done nothing to obtain it, and had to 
wait until God gave it to them, as a direct gift from 
Tieaven, by sending His Spirit into their hearts to 
quicken them so they could believe. They died and 
were lost because they did not believe, and the reason 
they did not believe, was because God never gave them 
faith. Whose fault was it that they were lost? There 
were but two parties known in the transaction: the 
sinner and God. It was not the sinner’s fault, because 
they could not believe until God did something for 
them. God never did it, and they died and were con- 
demned. Now whose fault was it? According to 
your theory, it would make God responsible for their 
condemnation. Deliver me from a religion that 
teaches such a damnable doctrine. 

‘T was at one time bound down by your religious 
delusion. I was taught to believe that the Pope of 
Rome was the visible head of the church on earth, and 
that he and the church were infallible, and that the 
priest could forgive sins, if you paid him enough for 
it. In my search for more light on the infallible ( ?) 
church, I learned that it was permeated with eccle- 
siastical corruption, its claims were frauds and I was a 
poor deluded dupe, and bound down by the shackles 


86. FKOM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

of a delusion that was born of a tyrannical hearty 
wallowed in every cess-pool of heathen corruption and 
that millions of deceased victims are worshiping at the 
filthy shrine of this demon of darkness, while he waves- 
his blood stained hands over their heads and promises 
them absolution from a life of sin. I denounced this 
institution of darkness and started in search for a bet- 
ter one. I met a pious minister, whose ripe scholar- 
ship commended him to me as a man, whose counsel I 
would do well to seek. I met the reverend gentleman 
and he invited me to his studio to tell me what he 
termed was sound orthodoxy and assure me that his 
church was the only true Apostolic church. He gave 
me a little book which he called a ‘Confession of 
faith.’ I took it and as I turned its thumb worn pages,. 
I wondered why such a learned and pious man as he 
did not take the Bible as his only confession of faith,, 
remembering at the same time that the Bible said 
nothing about the Apostles or the early churches hav- 
ing a human made confession of faith. I turned on 
through the book until my eyes fell upon these words : 
‘By the decree of God for the manifestation of His- 
glory, some men and angels are predestinated to ever- 
lasting life, and others foreordained to everlasting 
death, and their number is so certain and definite, that 
it can not be either increased or diminished.’ I stood,, 
as if petrified, and looked at the minister. He rose 
with his gaze firmly fixed upon me, and said : ‘Sir, 
what objections have you to our confession, which 
was taken from the Bible ?’ I said : ‘Is God the author 
of this book? How can He be just, merciful and kind, 
and predestinate some men and angels to eternal con- 
demnation? Could He pick out a few of earth’s mil- 
lions, and predestinate them to eternal life and pass the 
remainder of His own creatures by as condemned, and 
not be a respecter of persons? Could He fix, un- 


RENEWING HIS VOW. 


87 . 


•changeably, the final destiny, of a part of the unborn of 
•all the coining ages, in an eternal hell, and not be 
.alone responsible for their damnation ? Could He, for 
the manifestation of His own glory, assign to an 
.eternal hell, some innocent children, whose lips had 
never uttered an evil word, and whose feet had never 
invaded the loathsome paths of sin, without being a 
•demon? I threw the book down upon his table, and 
as the dead like sound died away upon our ears, I sev- 
ered my connection with the churches and religion, 
shook off the shackles of superstition, walked out of 
the high plain of thought and intelligence, bathed my 
•deluded soul in the bright rays of the sun of liberty 
and freedom and feasted my hungry mind upon the 
bread of reason. Tonight I am a free man. Free to 
think, free to act, and free to speak. I would not give 
such liberty for all the churches, creeds, Bibles and 
religious delusions on earth. I am happy in this life 
;and will let the next one take care of itself. I don’t 
know if there is a life after death, neither does any 
IX)pe, priest or preacher. If there is, I am sure it will 
be all right, but if it should chance to be otherwise, all 
that I could do here would not change it.” 

“Mr. Newman,” he continued, “you are a man with 
too good a brain to believe that unscriptural harangue 
my niece has been telling you. Let us suppose, for the 
sake of argument, that the Bible is true. That there is 
a God, a heaven, and a hell, just as she has said; 
would it be all right to believe what she has been 
teaching? No, there is as much difference between 
the Bible and what she has been teaching you, as there 
was between the Romans and the Jews. She has un- 
dertaken to teach us, what she calls ‘The way of life 
and salvation ; claiming to be led by the Spirit of God. 
If she was led by a spirit, it was not the same one 
that is the author of the Bible. She asked the ques- 


88. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

tion: ‘How are we saved?’ In her endeavor to an- 
swer it, she totally ignored the great commission which 
purports to have been given by Christ to His Apostles. 
Let us see what it says : ‘Go ye into all the world, and 
preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth 
and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth 
not shall be damned.’ According to her version, it 
would have to read : ‘He that believeth and is saved by 
faith alone, may be baptized.’ She has endeavored to 
show us that there is a vast difference between the 
question that the jailer asked and that of the Pente- 
costians. She would have us believe that the jailer 
was a condemned sinner, because he -did not believe 
and that the. P'entecostians, whose hands at that mo- 
ment were red with the blood of the Son of God, 
whom they had put to death on the cross of agony and 
shame, and who were, at that moment, counted as 
murderers in the sight of heaven, were now born babes 
in Christ, because they had just believed on the Holy 
One that they had crucified, though they had never 
made a public confession of Him who said : ‘Who- 
soever therefore shall confess me before men, him will 
I confess also before my Father which is in heaven,’ 
and had never repented of that cold-blooded murder 
that they had committed, notwithstanding Jesus said: 
‘Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish.’ Again, 
she said we are saved by faith alone and quoted that 
old worn out, threadbare unscriptural phrase, ‘Salva- 
tion by faith only, is a most wholesome doctrine, and 
very full of comfort.’ Where does the Bible say we 
are saved by faith only? Tell her to give you the 
chapter and verse that teaches any such a doctrine. 
Where can she find it? Nowhere, but just -the oppo- 
site is taught. James says : ‘What doeth it profit, my 
brethren, though a man say he has faith, and have not 
works? Can faith save him? If a brother or a sister 


RENEWING HIS VQVV. 


80 . 


be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you 
say unto them, depart in peace, be ye warmed and 
filled ; notwithstanding .he give him not those things 
which are needful to the body; what doeth it profit? 
Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being 
alone.’ Again she said, ‘Faith is the direct gift of 
God, and that the Spirit quickens us to believe.’ Where 
does the Bible teach that kind of a doctrine? . No- 
where, but Paul teaches just the opposite; he says: 
‘For whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall 
be saved. How then shall they call upon Him in whom 
they have not believed ? And how shall they believe in 
Him of whom they. have not heard? And how shall 
they hear without a preacher? And how shall they 
preach except they be sent ? As it is written, how beau- 
tiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of 
peace and bring glad tidings of good things ! But thev 
have, not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith. Lord, 
who hath believed our report? So then faith comes 
by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.’ Again 
the same writer said: “For whatsoever things were 
written aforetime were written for our learning, that 
we through patience and comfort of the scriptures 
might have hope.’ And John, in writing, on the same 
subject, said: ‘And, many other signs truly did Jesus 
in the presence of His disciples, which are not written 
in this book: but these are written that ye might be- 
lieve that Jesus is the. Christ, the Son of God; and that 
believing ye might have life through His name.’ Again, 
she said : ‘The Spirit quickened the sinner to believe.’ 
Where does the Bible say that? Nowhere, but says 
just the contrary, the sinner can’t receive the Spirit. 
Do you ask for proof? Jesus says: ‘If ye love ]Me, 
keep Mv commandments. And I will pray the Father, 
and He shall give you another Comforter, that He 
mav abide. with you forever: even the Spirit of truth; 


90. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him> 
not, neither koweth Him ; but ye know Him ; for He 
dwells with you, and shall be in you.’ When, accord- 
ing to the; Bible, does the Spirit enter the heart of man ? 
Before or after he is a son of God ? My niece would. 
have you believe that He comes in the heart before 
we are sons of God, but Paul differs from her; he- 
says : ‘And because ye are sons, God has sent forth 
the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, 
Father.’ I could multiply these questions but these- 
will suffice. They prove, that if the Bible is right, 
she is wrong ; and if it is wrong, she can’t be right. I 
know she is wrong, and I believe the Bible is. The 
tyrannical rules, diabolical doctrines and indescribable 
corruption of the church of Rome, drove me into infi-^ 
delity and the prejudice, divisions, confusions, and' 
erroneous teachings of the protestant churches have 
kept me there. Mr. Newman, for the sake of liberty, 
freedom, justice and reason, turn a deaf ear to that 
superstitious delusion and be a man. Reject the Bible 
deny the existence of a God, ascend above such ig- 
norance, confusion and unscriptural, unreasonable 
and unintelligent dogmas, leave them at your feet, 
walk out from under the yoke of religious slavery and 
breathe the pure air of freedom and liberty of con- 
science.” 

‘‘Oh, Uncle, Uncle, please don’t say any more to him. 
Mr. Newman, I am fallible but God’s word is infallible,. 
You have wounded my soul and crushed my heart, 
cling to the Bible and help me defend it,” said Miss 
Silvey, as she buried her face in her arms and cried’ 
aloud. She rose, extended her arms toward heaven 
and said : ‘‘Oh God, Thou hast promised to not for- 
sake nor leave those who call upon Thy Holy and 
righteous name. I pray Thee, in the Name of Thy 
Dear Son, that Thou wilt remember Thy precious 


IIENEWING HIS VOW. 


91 . 


promise and give Thy poor unworthy servant the 
strength to carry this heavy cross, help me to contend 
earnestly for the faith that Thou has delivered to 
Thy saints and hold out faithful to the end.” 

“The Bible is infallible you say? There was never 
a greater imposition thrust upon the American people 
than your Bible It is not only false, but it is unworthy 
of a place in my home,” he said. 

These last words fired every nerve in Clyde's body, 
and his eyes glistened, his face flushed a crimson, 
and he unconsciously rose, stepped towards her uncle, 
raised his hand over his head, and in a voice that rang 
out through the halls of the old storm rocked mansion, 
said : 

“Do )*ou mean to assault and call untrue and un- 
worthy, my sister’s Bible, which has been her stay 
and comfort during all these months that I have 
been absent from her? Do you mean to deny the 
existence of that God, the mark of whose hand is seen 
on every hill, and whose wisdom we read in every 
•object of nature? I will enter my protest, I will de- 
fend that old Book, as long as I am able to raise my 
voice or lift my hand, and I shall request you to meet 
me around this fire-side, two weeks from to night, 
and I assure you that the discussion will not be as 
•one sided as it was this evening. My prophecy is, 
that before twelve months pass you will not only see 
and understand His glorious truth, but your knee will 
lx)w before Him and your lips will plead for His 
mercy.” As these last words were spoken, Clyde 
turned and walked into the large hall, followed by 
Miss Silvey, and they planned for the coming battle 
with the giant infidel. 


02 . 


FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 


CHAPTER VIII. 
defeated. 

The silvery moon had risen high up in the heavens, 
and the stars, which looked like so many millions of 
bright diamonds, were peeping down from their dis- 
tant homes in the sky, their beautiful rays', unobstruct- 
ed by even a passing cloud, were shining upon the 
snow covered mountains and as they were made to re- 
flect a dazzling light by the small bits of ice that were 
hanging upon the bending boughs of the gigantic oaks 
and which had thrown a mantle of white over every 
object of nature, Mr. W. walked into his cozy room 
aiid sat down in his old arm chair, preparatory to en- 
joying the warmth of the inviting fire, which was 
burning cheerfully in the large open fire-place. He 
was soon joined by his family. Miss Silvey and Clyde. 

“Well, Mr. Newman,” he said, as he threw his feet 
upon a chair, “I suppose you remember this is the 
evening that the debate between yourself and me is 
to take place?” 

“Yes, sir, I remember quite well this is the date we 
fixed. Miss Silvey and I have spared no pains during 
the last two weeks in preparing for this occasion, and 
I feel that I am not only able to produce evidence that 
will be sufficient to convince you of your error, but that 
I am equally well prepsired to meet any . argument you 
may advance. I shall take the liberty- to say that I 
have, by Miss Silvey’s assistance, studied both sides of 
this question, as thoroughly as any one could in the 
length of time I have had, and in my research I have 
not been able to find anything in support of your claim, 
while on the other hand. I have found overwhelming 


DEFEATED 

'evidence in support of my own. I shall endeavor to 
produce arguments, backed up by the testimony of un- 
• impeachable witnesses, and I trust you have studied 
your side of the proposition sufficiently and are pre- 
pared to bring forth the strongest evidence that the 
infidel world can produce, and will not have to depend 
upon bare assertions, void of any weight, save the 
emphasis you may be able to put into the language,” 
said the young engineer, as he began to take some 
manuscript from his pocket and turned to face Mr. W. 

“I assure you, Mr. Newman, that I will respect your 
proposition, weigh carefully your evidence and give 
you full credit for every point you shall be able to sus- 
tain. I will further say, that in the event you produce 
unanswerable arguments in support of your proposi- 
tion, I will pledge my heart and hand that I will not 
•only change my present course in life, but I will in 
the words of the Apostle, ‘Preach the faith that I once 
destroyed.’ All I shall ask of you, will be to state 
your proposition clearly, and present your testimony 
in a systematic manner. You may now state the propo- 
sition that you wish to affirm,” said ]\Ir. W., as he added 
a fresh supply of fuel to the fire, settled back in his 
comfortable chair and pushed his eye glasses far back 
upon his broad and massive forehead. 

“Your requests are reasonable and your proposition 
i-s fair and if you do not change your purpose, relative 
to accepting the truth, when convincing arguments are 
advanced, I feel quite sure that I will have the pleasure 
of seeing the fulfillment of my prophecy which I made 
two weeks ago this evening, before even half of the 
twelve months have passed. I concur with you in 
your opinion in rgard to the plain and systematic ar- 
>rangement, in which a proposition should be stated to 
make it debatable and I shall be governed accordingly. 
You will no doubt notice that I have changed my 


04 . , FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

opinion in regard to the Divine Authority which the 
present churches have for their existence, since my 
conversation with your niece two weeks ago this eve- 
ning. But I assure you that the change has been 
brought about by strong evidence and I have accepted 
the truth in the matter as all honest men would have 
done under the circumstances. My present position 
was not taken for the purpose of gaining a victory over 
you, or to cover up or justify an error. It will be no 
more than honesty on my part and justice to Miss 
Silvey for me to state that she has ’taught me the 
way of the Lord more perfectly,' for which I am truly 
grateful," said the young man as he turned his eyes 
to Miss Silvey and noted the sweet smile playing upon 
her lovely countenance. 

"State your proposition," said her uncle; ‘Sve can 
tell more about your prophetical ability and how much 
more perfectly you have been taught, after we have 
discussed your proposition." 

"I shall affirm," said the young engineer, "that all 
protestant denominations are of God and that the Bible 
and reason both teach us that it is necessary that the 
religious world be divided up into different sects and 
that they should teach different doctrines, have human 
creeds and names that the purpose of God might be 
carried out. Is this proposition plain enough to suit 
you, Mr. W. ?" 

“Yes, sir. I will deny it," he said. 

"Will you admit for the sake of argument that the 
Bible is true, while we discuss this proposition ?" asked 
Clyde. 

“I don't believe the Bible is true, but I will grant for 
the sake of this proposition that it is," said Mr. W. 

"In order to establish my proposition, which I am 
confident I will be able to do, I will produce five wit- 
nesses. In other words, I will prove it bv Moses, 


DEFEATED 


95 . 


Christ and things that we see and experience every 
day of our life. I am sure that when you hear the 
strong testimony of these three witnesses, you will be 
bound to see that mv position is infallibly correct,” said 
Clyde.” 

■‘I will number my arguments and thus make them 
stronger, as well as to appear more systematic,” he 
continued. 

“Argument No. One. The first witness we will call 
to the stand, will be Moses, the old prophet and law 
giver, a man whose life was touched and influenced by 
the hand of God. While we are not living under 
Moses, but under Christ, yet you will admit that the 
( )ld Testament contains a great many metaphors and 
types, the true meaning of which, we can never learn 
until we have read the New .Testament. Let us now 
turn to the Old Testament and see what this great and 
good man of God says about the Churches of Christ 
through the types contained in the law. He speaks of 
some cities of refuge, which are types of the churches. 
How many cities were there Just one^ If we find 
but one city of refuge, we would look for but one 
church, but if on the other hand, we find more than 
one city, we must look for more than one church. The 
anti-type must be like the type in number as well as 
in every other respect. The shadow can not be less 
than the substance, nor neither can the type be plural 
and the anti-type be singular. As Christ is greater 
than Moses, so is the anti-type greater than the type. 
How many cities were there? Six. How many 
churches are there? Just one? No, that would make 
the shadow greater than the substance, by .having more 
cities contained in the type, than there are churches 
contained in the anti-type. This would not only defeat 
the purpo.ses of this beautiful type, for which God im 
tended it. but it would break up that harmony which 


96. FROM TBE THROITLE TO THE THRONE. 

is seen running all through God's Holy Book. As it 
required a number of cities to make up the type of the- 
churches, it follows without argument, that it takes a 
number of churches to make up the anti-type of the 
cities of refuge. Would you like the proof for more 
than one city of refuge? Let ns turn to the book of 
Numbers and see what Hoses, our present witness, 
says about them. Hear his own words, or what is 
better, the words of God through him: 'And the Lord 
spake unto Hoses, saying, speak unto the children of 
Israel, and say unto them, when ye be come over 
Jordan into the land of Canaan; Then ye shall ap- 
point your cities to be cities of refuge for you; that 
the slayer may flee thither, which killeth any person at 
unawares. And they shall be unto you cities for refuge 
from the avenger ; that the man slayer die not, until 
he stands before the congregation in judgment. And 
of the cities which ye shall give six cities shall ye have 
for refuge. Ye shall give three cities on this side of 
Jordan, and three cities shall ye give in the land of 
Canaan, which shall be cities of refuge. The six cities 
shall be a refuge, both for the children of Israel, and 
for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them: 
that every one that killeth any person unawares may 
flee thither.’ We learn* from this that there were six 
cities and that God furnished protection in one as well 
as another. This forever does away with that idea 
which some narrow minded people have, that there is 
but one church, and proves that Christ intended that 
there should be new churches established, so as the 
anti-type could correspond with the type, and also* 
proves that God will furnish protection in one denom- 
ination as well as another. 

"Argument No. Two. We will now call upon our 
second witness, who is the blessed Son of God. He 
who said, that heaven and earth shall pass away, but 


DEFEATED 


97 

His words would never pass away. What did He say ? 
Listen to His own words: ‘I am the vine, and my 
Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that 
beareth not fruit He taketh away : and every branch 
that beareth fruit. He purgeth it, that it may bring 
forth more fruit. Xow ye are clean through the word 
which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I 
in you. As the branch can not bear fruit of itself,, 
except it abide in the vine ; no more can ye, except ye 
abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches : he 
that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringetli 
forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.’ 
These words teach us that Jesus is the true vine, which 
means His Church, and that all denominations are 
branches of the true vine. Just as the vine grows and 
puts out new branches to bear fruit, so did the original 
first church. When it began to grow, God raised up- 
such men as Luther, Fox and Wesley and they founded 
other branches of the true church. Just as long as 
these denominations bear fruit we know they are 
abiding in Christ, for if they were not abiding in Him, 
they could not bear fruit, and would be cast off. Are 
they bearing fruit? Look at the thousands, yes mil- 
lions of souls who have been saved and gone to their 
eternal reward through them. Has God cast them off? . 
No; how do we know He has not? Because they are 
bearing fruit. If they bear fruit, Christ says they are 
abiding in Him. Do you ask for proof? L^t us hear 
what He says : ‘Every branch in me that beareth not 
fruit. He taketh away : and every branch that beareth 
fruit He purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.’ 
Has God cast them off”, or has He purged them? We 
know He has not cast them off, because they are still 
bearing fruit, and we know that He has purged them, 
because they are bearing more fruit than they did ten 
years ago. So, then, we learn from our Savior Him- 


98. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

self, that all of the denominations that are increasing 
in membership, are abiding in the true vine, and there- 
fore have for their existence, the Divine sanction. I 
feel sure that I have my proposition thoroughly es- 
tablished, for no Bible reader will attempt to doubt 
the words of Moses or Christ, and deny that all de- 
nominations are of God. To do this, would be to deny 
the Bible. 

"Argument No. Three. It is necessary that we have 
a number of churches. You may ask why? For the 
same reason that it was necessary for God to establish 
six cities of refuge. The innocent slayer could have 
a choice of cities to go to and it made no difference 
into which one he went, he received protection in one 
just as well as another. His object in going was to be 
protected from the revenger of blood. So it is with 
the sinner today. He has a choice of churches, and 
it makes no difference into which one he goes, his 
object in going is to be saved, and God can save him 
in one denomination just as well as another. 

“Argument No. Four. Everybody can’t see alike. 
Take my home city churches as an example. They 
are all striving for the same heaven and following 
to the best of their ability, the same Bible. But they 
don't all understand it alike. One may believe a man 
is saved one way and another thinks he is saved still 
another way. Now if there were but one church, this 
would be a serious problem. But God who fore 
knows all things, has established a number of churches^ 
thus making it possible for each one of us to go into 
a church that suits us, and be associated with men 
and women who believe the same as we do. While 
the churches all wear different names, yet they are all 
Christians. There is nothing in a name, except to dis- 
tinguish one object or person from another. Let us 
illustrate. Here is a man by the name of Smith. The 


DEFEATED. 


99 . 


first is James Smith, the second one William Smith, 
the third one Thomas Smith and the fourth one Joseph 
Smith. Each one has a name to distinguish him from 
the other three. Is it any evidence that they are not all 
Smiths, because they have different given names? 
No, each one became a Smith when he was born into 
the family. So it is with the members of the different 
denominations, they become Christians when they are 
born into the family of God and their human or given 
names do not effect in the least their living a Christian 
life, and they aid, rather than hinder God's purpose 
in saving the world. It is just as necessary that the 
members of different churches be distinguished, one 
from another, as it is that James Smith be distinguished 
from Thomas Smith. In the absence of given names, 
this could not be done. 

“Argument No. Five. To make it convenient for 
all, it is necessary that we have a number of churches. 
Here is the delicate person who could not stand 
the exposure to be immersed, and there are thousands 
who do not believe in immersion. I know of a church 
that believes in immersion only. Now if that were 
the only church, those who could never stand to be 
immersed and these good people who do not believe in 
immersion, could never get into a church. But God, in 
His goodness, has removed this hindrance by establish- 
ing churches that do not believe that baptism is at 
all necessary, but will immerse, sprinkle, pour or take 
them 'without any baptism at all. Just any way, sc 
as to suit the convenience of the candidate. 

“Surely, Mr. W., you can see the hand of God in 
ail of the churches and are thoroughly convinced that 
mv proposition is true. If not, tell me in your reply 
wiiat you propose to give the world instead of the 
religion of Jesus Christ.'’ 

‘‘Mr. Newman,” said 'Sir. W., ‘T have patiently list- 


100. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

■ened to your remarks and have weighed carefully your 
arguments, if such they can be called. I am now, 
thoroughly convinced that your prophetical ability is 
not at alf commendable and that, your claim, as to 
having been taught the way of the Lord more perfectly 
is all a farce. I suggest, if this is the flower of your 
argument, that you turn the case over into the hands 
of my niece. I think it very probable that with her 
arguments, together with her tears and prayers, she 
would be able to make a better impression than you 
have, and I would be better prepared to retain my 
present good opinion of you. It is no disgrace or 
<1ishonor to be overtaken in a fault and to be deceived, 
oven by a religious delusion, such as the one of which 
you have become a victim. I can sympathize with 
and forgive you for this one error in your life, knowing 
that the affections of my charming niece, is the god at 
whose shrine you worship, instead of the one that the 
Bible reveals. While I think you are to be compli- 
juented rather than censured for this weakness, if a 
weakness it can be called, but I trust that you may soon 
see the folly of such a superstition, break the bonds of 
this religious slavery, and with Miss Silvey, rise 
above such ignorance, deny these religious dogmas, and 
walk out On the high plains of freedom and liberty. 

"‘I will now take up your arguments and notice them 
in the order in which you submitted them : 

“.A.rgument No. One. In this division of your sub- 
ject you have labored hard, in your endeavor to prove 
that the cities that were given to the children of the 
I'^rael and desis^nated as cities of refuge in the Old 
Testament, were types of diff'erent denominations, in 
this country, erroneously called Churches of Christ. 
Suppose I admit that the Bible is true, every word of 
it, and admit that the cities of refuge in the Old 
Testament are types of the local congregations men- 


DEFEATED. 


101 . 


tioned in the New, would that justify you in your 
conclusions ? Would that prove that the denominations 
falsely termed churches, are the anti-type of those 
cities? No, sir. I shall take your own argument and 
drive you from your position. It is true, that the 
Author of the Bible, let Him be whom He mav, in- 
tended that those cities should constitute the type of 
the New Testament Church, but not all of the present 
day denominations. You say there were a number of 
cities, .contained in the type and therefore there must 
be a .number of denominations to make up the anti- 
type. Here your premises are wrong, and the conse- 
quence of which is, your conclusions are also wrong. 
If you had said, as there were a number of cities 
represented in the type, there must be a number of 
local congregations represented in the anti-type, which 
meaning, no doubt, the Author of the Bible intended 
to convey, I could have seen and would have readily 
acknowledged the truthfulness of your argument. But 
the premises upon which you have built your argu- 
ments are false, and it follows as a logical deduction, 
that your conclusions are likewise false. Those cities 
of refuge differ only as to location. They had the 
same law of admittance, were just alike in their discip- 
line, the keepers of those cities all believed the same 
thing, and wore the same name. They were known as 
the city of refuge at Kedesh, the city of refuge at 
Shechem, the city of refuge at Kirjatharba, etc., etc. 
So with the local congregations in the New Testament. 
They were known as the Church of God at Ephesus, 
the Church of God at Smyrna, the Church of God at 
Thyatira, etc. As the cities of refuge, which you 
claim are the types of the New Testament Churches 
and also of the present day denominations, differed 
onlv as to location, they all wore the same name, be- 
lieved the same doctrine and admitted members on 


102. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

the same conditions, as we see that their anti-type, the 
local congregations mentioned in the New Testament, 
differed only as to location. They all wore the same 
iiam'e, believed the same doctrine and admitted members 
on the same conditions. It is easily seen that the cities 
of refuge were types of local congregations mentioned 
in the New Testament, because there is to be seen a 
perfect agreement existing between those cities and 
congregations. But will that help your case? Will 
that prove that your proposition is true ? I think not. 
In order for the religious denominations of the world 
today to become the anti-type of those cities, there 
must be a perfect harmony existing between them and 
the cities, and must duplicate in every respect, the 
•congregations mentioned in the New Testament. In 
■other words they must differ, only as to loca- 
tion, they must all wear the same name, they 
must all believe the same doctrine and all 
admit members on the same conditions. Do they do 
that? No, they differ from Alpha to Omega. They 
differ as to the name they should wear, they difiter as 
to what they must believe. They differ as to what 
doctrine they must preach. And they differ as to the 
‘Conditions upon which the sinner can be admitted to 
full fellowship. According to your own argument, the 
present day denominations are not alike, neither the 
type in the Old Testament, or the local congregations 
in the New. Your denominations do not differ, only 
as to the location, but in every other respect as well. 
Each one has a human name peculiar to itself. Each 
‘One believes a different doctrine. Each one admits 
candidates on conditions that dift'er from all the bal- 
ance. In fact, it would be hard to find a way in which 
they agree, with either, the type in the Old Testa- 
ment, the congregations mentioned in the New or 
-with each other. Your denominations differ from the 


DEFEATED 


103 . 


cities in the Old Testament, in that Moses teaches us- 
that God protected the innocent slayer from the re- 
venger of blood, only in the cities. God never saved 
them outside of the cities. It was absolutely neces- 
sary in order to be saved, that the slayer enter the city. 
Your denominations teach us that it is not necessary to 
go into a church to be saved, but that God will save 
you out of the church just as well as in the church. 
Again, we read where the congregation should restore 
the slayer into the city. The denominations claim, 
according to what Miss Silvey told us the other even- 
ing, that neither the sinner, congregation nor preacher, 
had any thing to do with the sinner's coming to Christ. 
Thnt the sinner is saved by faith alone, and that God 
gives him the faith, and that the sinner nor any one 
else could do anything to aid him in securing salva- 
tion. This argument, if an argument it can be called, 
is opposed to your position rather than in favor of it. 

“Argument . No. Two. In this 3^011 refer to the 
language contained in the fifteenth chapter of John: 
‘I am the vine, ye are the branches.’ You would have 
me believe that the author of this language, intended 
to convey the idea, that Jesus is the true vine or church 
plicity of human names, creeds, confessions, confusions, 
prejudice, delusions and conflicting doctrines, were 
branches of the true church. You have gone so far 
as to say that as the world gets old, that God raises 
and that all of the denominations, with their multi- 
up such men as Luther, Fox and Wesley to found new 
denominations, so as to suit all of the whims and' 
wishes of the people. Where did Jesus ever say 
anything like that? Where does the New Testa- 
ment say any thing like that? Nowhere. But just 
the contrarv is taught in your Bible. Jesus praj^ed 
that His followers might be one. Let us hear His own 
words: ‘Neither pray I for these alone, but for themi 


104. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

also which shall believe on me through their word;, 
that they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in me,. 
and I in Thee, that they also may be one in us, that 
the world may believe that Thou hast sent me.’ Jesus 
condemns man made doctrines, such as many of your 
denominations are teaching now. Hear Him again: 
‘Howbeit in vain do they \yorship me, teaching for 
doctrines the commandments of men.’ Paul admon- 
ished his people to have no divisions among them. Let 
us hear him : ‘Now I beseech you, brethren, by the 
Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the 
same thing, and that there be no divisions among you ; 
but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same 
mind and in the same judgment.’ Again Paul says: 
‘But though we, or an angel from heaven preach any 
other gospel unto you than that which we have preached 
unto you, let him be accursed.’ How could the follow- 
ers of Christ be one? How could they have no di- 
visions among them, when God as you say, raised up- 
men to found new denominations, and thus divide the 
people of God? Show me the harmony between your 
position and the words of Paul. T am the vine, ye 
are the branches.’ Suppose we admit that these words 
are authentic and the interpretation the sectarian world 
puts on it, is true, what kind of a vine would it present 
in the sight of heaven now? It would be enough to 
make angels in heaven weep and devils in hell rejoice. 
Suppose you were to plant a mustard seed and when it 
came up it would shoot out a mustard branch, and 
then a little further up a squash, then a cabbage, then 
a turnip, then a raddish, then a peach, and then a little 
further up, a cherry would sprout out, then a fig, then 
a plumb then to cap it all off, a large oak would grow 
up. What kind of a tree would you call it? There is 
not a botanist on earth that could tell what kind of a 
seed you had planted. So it is with the ecclesiastical 


DEFEATED- 


105 . 


tree, with all of the different branches, or denomina- 
tions bearing different kind of fruits. The candid ob- 
server, who surveys the present condition of the de- 
nominations would be as much at a loss to tell what 
kind of a seed was planted to bring about the original 
-church, as the botanist would be to tell what kind of 
a seed you planted to bring about that denominational 
bearing bush, the picture of which we have just drawn. 
] f that passage of scripture is of Divine Origin, as you 
claim it is, I understand it to mean, that Jesus was the 
true vine, and His Apostles are the branches. He 
gave them the great commission to carry to every crea- 
ture and all the souls that have bowed obedience to 
that amnesty proclamation, are the legitimate fruit of 
the Apostles. 

“Argument No. Three. In this argument you say 
it is necessary to have more than one denomination. 
It was not necessary in the days of the Apostles. They 
had local congregations established, but they all taught 
the same doctrine. There were no denominations in 
those days and it looks like if they are necessary now, 
they would have been then, and it appears to me, that 
if the religious people, were better off without denomi- 
nations then, they would be better off without them 
now. 

'‘Argument No. Four. In this argument, you claim 
that everybody can’t see alike. Suppose they can't, 
does that justify some men in starting new denomi- 
nations, with a human name and man-made doctrines? 
No sir, nor will Jesus save them if you do obey them. 
Do you ask for proof? Listen to His words again: 
■'Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for 
doctrines the commandment of men.’ Under this argu- 
ment you brought up the question of human names, 
and tried to justify them by using the illustration of 
ihe Smith family. You spoke of James Smith, William 


106. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

Smith, Thomas Smith and Joseph Smith. You said 
they were all Smiths, but had to have different names 
to distinguish one from another, and so with the hu- 
man names that the denominations wear. Pretty good 
illustration, Mr. Newman, but let me ask you, who 
named those boys? Did they name themselves, or did 
their parents name them? Their parents of course: 
Did they have any choice as to what names they should 
wear? No. Who named the denominations? Did 
■God, or did they name themselves? They named 
themselves and God, if there be one, never had any- 
thing to do with it. If I were a believer in the Bible, 
I ^vould want to wear a name that God gave me and 
not one that some man gave. These human names 
.are stumbling blocks to some people who would like to 
be Christians, but stumble over them and are made 
to doubt just like I did. If there is a God, if there is 
any truth in the Bible, what can that man hope for that 
has placed such humanisms in the churches and thou- 
sands are offended and kept away from Christ because 
of them ? Let Jesus answer : ‘But whoso shall offend 
one of these little ones which believe in me, it were 
Letter for him that a mill stone were hanged about his 
neck, and that he were drowned in the depths of 
the sea.’ Mr. Newman, if you are going to accept the 
Bible as true, wear nothing but a Bible name. 

“Argument No. Five. In this you contended that it 
was convenient to have all of these denominations. 
Where does Jesus say so? Where did He say that if 
it were not convenient to be immersed, that sprink- 
ling would do ? Where did He ever sprinkle any one ? 
WHiere did His Apostles ever sprinkle any one ? The 
Bible says that when Jesus was baptized. He came 
•straight way up out of the water. Not a word about 
sprinkling here. ‘And he commanded the chariot to 
^tand still: and they went down both into the water. 


DEFEATED- 


107 . 


both 'Phillip and the Eunuch; and he baptized him.* 
Not a word about sprinkling here. Listen to what 
Paul says on this subject : ‘Know ye not that so many 
of us as were baptized in Jesus Christ were baptized 
into His death? Therefore we are buried with Him 
by baptism into death ; that like as Christ was raised 
up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so 
we also should walk in the newness of life. For if 
we have been planted together in the likeness of His 
death, we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrec- 
tion.' Immersion seemed to have been as convenient as 
sprinkling, with the Apostles, as we do not read where 
they ever sprinkled any one. . 

“You closed your remarks by asking me what I 
proposed to give the world instead of its religion? ]\Iy 
answer sir, is simply this: Religion is a delusion, a 
superstition and a robber. If we take away one su- 
perstition, why do you want another to take its place? 
Religion is a disease that dwarfs the intellect, debars 
liberty and impairs both the physical and moral na- 
ture of man. What does the world need in its stead? 
Another delusion, another superstition or another dis- 
ease ? What would you think of a man who had been 
stififering from rheumatism, his arms drawn, his limbs 
bent, his fingers stiff, his whole body in pain and 
agony, the world dark and life a burden to him; and 
a skilled physician comes and applies a remedy that na- 
ture has provided for such a disease, his wrecked and 
aching system responds to the treatment, his arms 
relax, his limbs straighten, the stiffness leaves his 
fingers, the crimson color of youth and health are 
again restored to his face and he moves about a well 
and free man ; and suppose he comes back to the doc- 
tor and after he knows he is entirely cured of the 
disease and says: Doctor, you have cured me of the 
rheumatism, my limbs are free, my arms have never 


108. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

known a pain since you quit treating me, but doctor^ 
what are you going to give me instead of the rheu- 
matism? I know what you and every other man of 
sense would think. You would think that the man 
was crazy and that a lunacy commission should be 
called to pronounce him mentally unsound, and send 
him to the asylum for the insane. You would conclude 
at once that the lives of his neighbors would be in 
danger if he were allowed to run at large. My reply 
to your question is that I regard Christianity as a sys- 
tem of superstition and when the world is once free 
from it, we don’t want another superstition to take its 
place. It is a disease, and when the world is free 
from it, we don’t want another disease to take its 
place. It is a falsehood, and when the world is free 
from it, we don’t want another falsehood to take its 
place. I suggest sir, that we accept in its stead, a 
knowledge of the truths of nature, and let all of the 
world be free from the withering touch of that su- 
perstitious curse. Let tlie old world that has been 
wrapped in the ignorance of this enemy of life, lib- 
erty and happiness break off the shackles of this re- 
ligious dogma, walk out on the high plains of reason, . 
and with the free thinker, enjoy free thought.” 

”]vlr. W., I promised my sister that I would study 
the Bible and if there were any truths in its claims, 
or harmony in its construction, I would endeavor to 
learn it. This discussion is not ended. I request you 
to meet me again two weeks from this evening, and 
we will discuss the origin of the Bible,” said Clyde, as 
he bade them good night and went to his room, feel- 
ing that his attempt to harmonize the present divided 
condition of the religious world, was a fruitless one, 
but more determined to urge on the battle until the in- 
fidel abandoned his position and come to what he 
thought was the truth. 


A CHANGED MIND 


10 9 . 


CHAPTER IX. 

A CHANGED MIND. 

‘Aliss Silvey," said Clyde, as he stepped into the 
young lady's room, “this is the evening that your 
gifted uncle and I are to discuss the origin of the 
Bible. I feel as though I failed in my effort twa 
weeks ago, to prove that all of the present day denom- 
inations, called Churches of Christ, are of God, while 
on the other hand I am frank to admit that he proved 
to my entire satisfaction, that neither God, Christ nor 
the Apostles ever said that it would be necessar}* for 
new churches, with human names and creeds, to be 
established in order that God’s purpose on earth might 
be carried out, nor does the Bible even sanction their 
existence. I have been reading the New Testament 
since I met him, and to my surprise, I failed to find 
where Jesus established more than one church; but I 
did find sufficient evidence to convince me that your 
uncle’s position, as to the oneness in which Jesus in- 
tended that His people should live, is correct. 
Paul, one of the most brilliant writers of the New Tes- 
tament, said: “All scripture is given by inspiration of 
God, is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for cor- 
rection, for instruction in righteousness: that the man^ 
of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all 
good works. Miss Silvey, it looks to me like, if the 
scripture that the world had nearly two thousand years 
ago, was profitable for doctrine, it would be profitable 
now, and if the world could be saved by it then, it is 
sufiicient to save us now. If Paul’s words are true, 
and I h^ve no reason to doubt a thing he said, it looks 
to me as though the world has no need for man-made 


no. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

doctrines, such as denominations teach today. If the 
scripture makes us perfect, denominationalism can not 
make us more perfect. If the scripture can thorough- 
ly furnish us to every good work, denominationalism 
can add nothing that will make us any better prepared 
to live and work for God in an acceptable way here on 
earth. As I look at the religious denominations, they 
appear to be to the Church of Christ, just what a su- 
perfluous growth is to the human body. I know a girl 
who is very small for her age, that has a superfluous 
growth on her neck, the doctors say that the growth, 
which is almost as large as her head, is of no use to 
the body, and that it never has done the girl any good, 
while on the other hand, it has dwarfed her physical 
being. The blood and nourishment that should have 
been utilized in building up the girl’s body, as nature 
intended that they should do, have been taken up by 
this useless and superfluous growth, the consequence 
of which is, that which should have been built up, 
has been dwarfed, and the superfluous growth which 
is of no use, but a nuisance and detriment to the full 
and complete growth of the body, has been sustained. 
So it is with the church. Paul sa3^s there is one body,, 
which is the church. The denominations are super- 
fluous and useless growth. Just as the unnatural 
growth on the girl’s neck has sapped the blood and 
nourishment and dwarfed her body, in order that it 
may grow, so have the unscriptural denominations 
taken millions of souls that should have been added to 
the body of Christ, the result of which is, denomina- 
tionalism has been built up and the Body of Christ 
(His Church) has been dwarfed. Suppose all of the 
souls that have been added to and utilized in build- 
ing up unscriptural Catholicism and Protestant de- 
nominationalism had been added to the body of Christ,, 
or had been Christians only, buckled on the whole 


A CHANGED MIND 


111 . 


armor of God and had taken the Bible as their only 
weapon of warfare, what kind of an army would 
they have presented m the sight of heaven today? 
With Christ as their only Captain, and His blood 
•stained banner as their only flag, they could have been 
marshaled into an army such as the world has never 
seen. They could have moved upon the enemy’s camp, 
•captured the whole army of the prince of darkness, 
turned and with songs of praise and victory upon 
their lips, delivered to God and His Christ, the com- 
bined hosts of Satan. Suppose all of the money, en- 
■ergy and enthusiasm that have been spent in building 
up these unscriptural and unnatural growths had been 
utilized in building up the one body, the Church of 
Christ, what would be the result today? No doubt, 
long ago, the Arch-angel of God would have made 
heaven and earth vocal with the echo of his song, as 
he would have declared that the kingdoms of this 
world had become the kingdoms of God and His 
Christ and that the glory and praise of God had cov- 
•ered the sea.” ' 

“Miss Silvey,” he continued, “as I said four weeks 
ago, all I claim for myself is to be honest. I believe 
the Bible and I shall endeavor to defend it, but if your 
scholarly uncle is as successful in offsetting my argu- 
ment, that I shall offer to sustain the Bible, as he was 
in offsetting that by which I tried to justify the claims 
<of denominationalism, I promise you now, that I will 
•denounce the Bible as untrue and unworthy of my 
further investigation, take my stand with the infidel 
world and help to fight religion in all of its claims, the 
remaining days of my life. But, if on the other hand, 
I am successful in proving that there is a God and that 
the Bible is true, I will accept it, and if there is a class 
'of people on earth who take the Bible just as it reads, 
Tf thev wear no other name but a Bible name, if they 


112. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

obey no doctrine but the Bible doctrine, and impose 
upon me no discipline but the New Testament, or in 
other words, if they ‘Speak where the Bible speaks 
and are silent where the Bible is silent,’ I will identify 
myself with them. But, I now raise my hand in the 
sight of God and declare with all the power of my 
soul, that I will never join a denomination, wear a hu- 
man name, subscribe to a human confession, nor obey 
;a man-made doctrine.” 

“Mr. Newman,” said the 3 0ung lady, as she rose 
-and walked towards the young engineer, ‘T belong to 
one of the denominations, wear a human name, and 
subscribe to a man-made discipline, but what difference 
do they make, just so we know we are saved?” 

“They make this difference with me. Miss Silvey. 
They divide God’s people, they are human and there- 
fore not of God. You have accepted something that 
1 can never accept, and if in the event, I find the 
Bible to be true, in a religious way, we can never be 
one as Jesus prayed that we should. I would have 
to lay down Divine principles and accept human 
ones to unite with you, but you could unite with me 
by laying down your humanisms and accepting Di- 
vine principles in their stead. I would be willing 
to meet you on Bible principles, but I will never 
meet you in a denomination,” said Clyde tenderly, 
-as he took the young lady’s hand in his and walked 
with her into the room in which her uncle and his 
family were seated. 

“Mr. Newman, I suppose you have called to renew 
your argument in defense of the denominations?” 
said Mr. W., as he offered the young man a chair. 

“No, sir, I have come with an entirely different 
proposition tonight. I claim to be an honest man 
and open to conviction. I will frankly admit that 
y'ou have convinced me of my error, and I have 


A CHANGED MIND 


113 . 


abandoned the position I tried to defend two weeks 
ago/’ said the young man, as he pulled his chair 
closer to the fire. 

“Good! You have denounced denominationalism, 
the Bible and become a free thinker; give me your 
liand on this,” said Mr. W., as he rose, walked to 
the young man and oflFered him his hand. 

“I beg your pardon, Mr. W., I have denounced 
denominationalism, but not the Bible. But I will 
state here and now, that if you are as successful in 
refuting the claims of the Bible as you were in 
-offsetting the argument that I produced in behalf 
of the denominations, I will abandon the Bible, be- 
come a free thinker, join you in your fight against 
Christianity and oppose the Bible the balance of 
my life,” said the young engineer, while an expres- 
sion of honesty and firmness settled over his face. 

“I feel sure,” said Mr. W., as he slowly walked 
back to his chair, “that you will join the free think- 
ers soon. Our numbers have already run up into 
the thousands and new recruits are coming in from 
the denominations every day. I predict, sir, that 
in fifty years from now, it will be as hard to find a 
man who will claim that he is a Christian, as it 
would be now to find a denomination that teaches 
the doctrine of the Bible. I am doubly confident 
that I will be able to find evidence to offset the 
'Claims of the Bible. You may now state the propo- 
sition that you wish to affirm.” 

“I shall affirm that the Bible is of Divine origin. 
I will state my proposition in the following lan- 
:guage : 

“ ‘Nature was created by a Supreme Being, and its 
close analogy and relation to the Bible, are sufficient 
to prove that the same Divine Intelligence that 
:shaped the hills and gave to the sea his decree, is 


114. FROM THE THROTTLE TOTHE THRONE. 

the Author of the Bible.’ 

“Mr. W., is this proposition plain enough?” 

“Yes, sir, I will deny it,” said Mr. W. 

“If you will pardon me, I will call your attention 
to the last argument that you made two weeks ago,” 
said the young engineer. 

“The bridle is off, Mr. Newman, browse wherever 
you can find good picking,” continued Mr. W. 

“In answer to my question,” said Clyde, “ AVhat 
will you give the world instead of its religion?’ you 
said that religion was a disease, and illustrated it by 
a man who had been suffering from rheumatism for 
a number of years. You closed your argument by 
boasting about being what you call a ‘free-thinker* 
as though the infidel is the only man who can in- 
dulge in the pleasures of free speech, or enjoy free 
thought. It devolves upon you to prove that the 
Christian religion is a disease, that it impairs both 
the physical and mental man, and robs him of free 
speech and free thought. I will now examine your 
argument. 

“1st. Is the Christian religion a disease No, na- 
ture itself teaches us that man is a religious being. 
Religion is health, but superstition is disease. Re- 
ligion is a healthy use of man’s nature. To be a 
Christian, is to fie obedient to the noblest and high- 
est law, that the Creator of the human race has 
thrown as a protection around man, and such obe- 
dience makes both the body and mind, strong and 
healthy. How many suicides would you read of, 
if every man would obey the laws of the Christian 
religion? Of how many murders would you read 
and how many would you see? With how many 
thieves and robbers would the world be cursed? 
What commandment in the New Testament would 
make you less a man than what you now are, if you 


A CHANGED MIND 


115 . 


were to obey it? Which one would make you less 
intelligent? Which one would disease your body? 
Which one would make you more superstitious? I 
challenge you and all of the infidels on earth to 
name even one. Xo, the Christian religion is not a 
disease, but it cures disease which is superstition, 
and saves from suicide, which is atheism. 

“2nd. Does the Christian religion impair the in- 
tellectual or physical man? Xo, sir. Mr. W., I 
challenge you to name one 'man, woman or child 
that the Christian religion, unmixed with Catholi- 
cism or denominationalism fanaticism, ever impaired 
in mind, in body or in any other way. I challenge 
you to name one instance in which the pure religion 
of Christ has ever disqualified a man for business; 
it matters not in what position of honor he was 
laboring, let him be a hired servant, a clerk, a mer- 
chant, senator, king or president. I challenge you 
to name one thing that infidelity can do for the 
world, that Christianity cannot do. I challenge you 
to name one thing that infidelity has ever done for 
the human family that Christianity has never done. 
How many great men has infidelity ever given to the 
world? How many republics and kingdoms has it 
ever established? How many colleges has it ever 
built? How many hospitals has it ever founded? 
How many ship loads of provisions has it ever sent 
to the perishing victims of India’s famine stricken 
millions? How many angels of mercy, in the person 
of skilled physicians, has it sent out on the battle- 
fields, to bind up the torn arms and limbs of the 
wounded, ease the pains of the dying, tell them of 
the Saviour of men, and offer them a hope that 
makes their last hours on earth seem a paradise of 
joy and plants upon their pale lips a complacent 
smile that the dark hand of the angel itself cannot 


116. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

remove? How many sweet faced, tender-hearted 
and Christlike nurses, whose soft tender touch on 
the fever parched brow of the dying soldier boy has 
reminded him of the affectionate caresses of an. 
angeled mother, has it sent into the tents of the 
dying? How many missionaries, bearing the torch 
of liberty, hope and emancipation from sin and dis- 
ease, has it sent into the dark, ignorant and heathen 
cursed districts of Africa, India and China? Not 
one. What has infidelity to boast of today? What 
nation of noble manhood and sweet and affectionate 
womanhood can it point to as a sample of what it 
can do for the world? Who were the men that es- 
tablished our great republics and kingdoms? Were 
they infidels or Christians? They were Christians. 
There is not a republic or kingdom standing orr 
earth today, that was planted by the hand of an 
atheist or founded upon the principles of an infidel. 
Who has made the greatest discoveries in science, 
astronomy and in the fields of literature? Infidels? 
No, sir. The men, to whom the world is indebted 
for having gone the deepest into the hidden treas- 
ures of earth, searched out the secrets of the plan- 
ets, noted the movements of the stars and measured 
the distance to the Sun, have been men whose cra- 
dles were rocked by the hands of Christian mothers 
and whose lives have been touched and influenced 
by the Christian religion. In what countries do we 
see the most crime, disease, ignorance? In infidel 
and catholic or protestant countries? Look at India, 
look at China, look at Africa, look at the Philippine 
Islands and Cuba. Compare these infidel and priest 
ridden nations with the United States, England and 
other Christian nations. See the difference in the 
people, laws and schools. See the difference in their 
ships, railroads and other means of transportation. 


A CHANGED MIND 


117 . 


Note the difterence in the commercial and moral 
condition. How much superior are the Christian 
nations to them? The heights to which those na- 
tions have been touched by the hand of the Chris- 
tian religion, have risen above the infidel and catho- 
lic countries, is so great, that no mortal eye can 
scan the scale and no human thought can span the 
distance. ^Ir. W., if Christianity is a curse, a dis- 
ease and superstition, tell us why it is that the best 
men that the world has ever produced, have been 
Christian men? Tell us why the most prosperous, 
the most intellectual and the most learned nations 
on earth are Christian nations? Tell us why the 
greatest astronomers, philosophers and logicians 
have been Christian men ? When you answer these 
questions in the light of reason, or convince me that 
it is more honorable for the most enlightened nations 
of earth to go back and wallow in the cesspools of 
heathen ignorance and corruption, I will be an in- 
fidel, but not before. 

'‘3rd. Does the Christian religion rob men of free 
thought and free speech? No, such an assertion 
would be a false accusation and a gross misrepre- 
sentation. When a man accepts the Christian re- 
ligion, what doors of learning does it close against 
him? In what way does it rob him of his social or 
political privileges? In what way does it rob, or 
hinder his success in the scientific or literary fields? 
From what fields of usefulness or honor does it 
debar him? What kind of men does the world de- 
mand today? What kind of a man do the American 
people demand for their president? What kind of 
men do the shops, stores, factories and railroads 
want? Christians or infidels? Let two young men 
who are equal in birth, intellect and learning go to 
our great cities in search of employment. One has 


118. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 


a recommendation as being an infidel and a follower 
of Thomas Paine, and the other has a recommenda- 
tion which states that he is a Christian and a fol- 
lower of Christ. They go to the same shop or fac- 
tory, they both show their recommendations. 
Which one would secure the first opening? Yoii 
know, Mr. W., that the Christian man would get 
the position. No, the religion of Christ is not a 
robber, but it has something to give. It opens to 
its subjects all of the doors of learning, commerce 
and positions of honor. Infidelity is the greatest 
robber and thief on earth today. It robs man of 
his honor, his place in society and politics. Do you 
ask who it ever robbed? It robbed Tom Paine of 
the respect and applause of the American people. 
It robbed him of his honor, it robbed him of his 
pleasure in this life and what is worse, it robbed 
him of a hope in the future. It robbed Robert G. 
Ingersoll. He would have been governor of the 
great state of Illinois, but his infidelity robbed him 
of it. The highest honor that the people of that 
state had to give, was taken from an infidel and 
given to a Christian. Who was robbed, the infidel 
or the Christian? I repeat, Mr. W., that Christian- 
ity has something to give. It opens all of the doors 
of learning, position, ranks and honor to its sub- 
jects. It brings them respect, pleasure, happiness in 
this world and gives them a hope that reaches be- 
yond the ^rave and gives them an anchor to their 
souls, sure and steadfast. It makes life pleasant and 
death sweet,, while infidelity closes the doors of 
honor, ranks and position and brings no pleasure in 
this life and no hope for the future.’^ 

“I believe,” continued Clyde, “that there is a God 
and that He has revealed Himself to us as a kind, 
loving, merciful Father and that He speaks to us- 


A CHANGED MIND 


119 . 


today, not only through the Bible, but through na- 
ture as well. The long lofty mountain ranges, tell 
us in unmistakable language, that it was a Divine 
hand that shaped their tall peaks, sloped and car- 
peted their steep sides with the flowers of each suc- 
ceeding spring and stretched their great serpentlike 
forms, almost from ocean to ocean. The broad fer- 
tile plains, which lie through the winter, wrapped 
in their icy shrouds, yield to the warm touch of the 
summer’s sun, throw off their coat of snow, tell us 
that there is an omnipotent Ruler who touches their 
frozen soil, causes each tree to rejoice in a new life, 
and beautifies all nature with the flowers of her own 
bosom. The Sun, the unerring and ever faithful 
monarch of the day, as he rises to peep over the sea 
and the land and send his golden rays of light into 
every nook and corner of the earth, tells us that 
there is a God and that He has ordained him to give 
light and life to the earth by day. As he rises to 
stand but for a moment on the highest mountain 
peaks, gathers his golden pedestals about him and 
rises to fly the circuit of heaven and as he onward 
cind upward wings his way, he sings one perpetual 
song of praise to Him, who by the power of His 
word, spoke worlds into existence. We go to the 
great wide sea and almost awe-stricken, we behold 
the sublime memorial of that power which gathered 
into one mighty reservoir, its restless waters, and 
that makes us stand with bared heads and reverence 
the ceaseless display of the power of Him who is 
Omnipotent. We try to comprehend its vastness, 
we look, but our limited gaze reaches but a few 
leagues out into the open sea, while thousands of 
miles of storm tossed waters stretch out beyond 
the limit of our horizon. We stand, as if petrified 
with reverential fear, and watch the rolling waters, 


120. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

as they are churned into a foaming rolling mass. We 
watch its waves, which like so many floating moun- 
tains, in their mad rush for the shore, as if to wash 
over and submerge its loftiest heights, but yet, each 
in its turn, as if suddenly awed by Him who said 
to the waves, ‘Peace be still,’ they cease to advance 
and fall back into the mighty ocean, as if they heard 
again the voice of Him who said : ‘Hitherto shalt 
thou come and no further ; and here shall thy proud 
waves be stayed/ Mr. \\/, in what direction can 
we look, without seeing the wisdom and work of 
the hand of God? If we turn to gaze into the deep 
blue sky, ‘The heavens declare the glory of God ; 
and the firmament showeth His handiwork.’ If we 
turn our eyes to behold the mountains, we read upon 
them the words of him who said: ‘For, lo. He that 
formeth the mountains, and created the wind, and 
declareth unto man what is his thought, that mak- 
eth the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the 
high places of the earth, the Lord, the God of hosts, 
is His name.’ If we turn to behold the ocean wide, 
we hear the words of David, as their undying echoes 
travel down the centuries, saying: ‘The sea is His, 
and He made it.’ Truly can we say in the words of 
him who was. a man after God’s own heart : Such 
knowledge is too wonderful for me ; it is hight, I can 
not attain unto it. Whither shall I go from thy spir- 
it? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I 
ascend up into heaven, thou art there : if I make 
my bed in hell, behold thou art there. If I take the 
wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost 
parts of the sea : even there shall thy hand lead 
me. If I say, surely the darkness shall cover me ; 
even the night shall be night about me.’ 

“Mr. W., the Christian religion has done more for 
the world than infidelity ever can do. Tell me, was 


A changed mind 


121 . 


the world created by an Intelligent Being, or did 
it just happen so? Was it a Divine Intelligence that 
endowed the bee with an instinct, enabling it to dis- 
tinguish the good from among the many poison 
flowers of earth, rise with its burden and fly straight 
to its home, or Avas it the result of a development, 
behind which there was no Divine mind? Was it 
a Divine Intelligence that endowed the Pika with 
the instinct to cut the grass, dry it in the sun and 
build its home for the Avinter, or Avas it the result 
of an evolution, that the Bible says, and man knoAVS 
nothing about? You just as Avell tell me that man 
Sprang from a gopher and that the common porcu- 
pine is our brother, as to tell me that there is no 
God, such as the Bible reveals.” 

“Two weeks from this evening, I shall meet you 
again and prove by the internal evidence of the 
scripture, that the Bible is of Divine origin,” said 
the young engineer, as he rose, bade them good 
night and retired to his room. 


122. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 


CHAPTER X. 

CRUSHING A GIANT. 

“Mr. Newman,” said Miss Silvey, as, she and 
Clyde were sitting in the large living room of the 
old mansion, ‘T trust you will pardon me, but I can- 
not refrain from complimenting you on the strong, 
and able fight you put up in defense of the Bible and 
the religion of Christ. Your reasoning was as clear 
as the noonday sun, your arguments were as strong 
as the hills, while your conclusions were as firm and' 
immovable as the heavens, and my scholarly uncle 
reeled and staggered under your massive blows, like- 
a drunken man. Surely, one whose mind is as logi- 
cal and whose ability and zeal are as unlimited as 
3^ours, could serve the world better by giving their 
heart to God and enlist in the great army of Jeho- 
vah’s faithful ministers, who are urging on the bat- 
tle for God and righteousness, than they could by 
being, even a hero at the throttle.” 

“Miss Silvey, I appreciate your compliments, but 
I fear that you have allowed your zeal to override 
your judgment in this respect, at any rate, I feel 
that it would be doing myself too much honor tO‘ 
accept your compliments as being absolutely true 
and applicable to myself, or even act as though I 
thought myself worthy of such high commendations, 
but I can give you full credit for being honest and- 
sincere in your kind, but flattering remarks. I am 
confident that my proposition is true and I feel 
sure, even though I should fail to prove to your 
uncle’s entire satisfaction that the Bible is of Divine 
origin, I will be able to at least convince him that 


CRUSHING A GIANT 123. 

liis efforts to convert me to the infidel faith have 
•been fruitless ones. The debate is not yet ended, 
.and in our discussion this evening I shall take the 
Bible and show by its internal evidence, that a Di- 
vine wisdom is seen running through it from cover 
to cover, and that the marks of the finger of God are 
-seen upon each one of its sacred pages,” said the 
young engineer, as he turned his eyes and gazed at 
the young lady, with a look which bespoke an af- 
fectionate feeling, more tender than that of a 
brother. 

“I suppose, since you are convinced that the Bible 
is true, you will give your heart to God, be a Chris- 
tian and join some church?” continued the young 
-lady. 

"When I learn the way of life, I expect to give 
my heart to God, go into the Church of Christ and 
be a Christian only, but I will never go into a de- 
nomination,” said Clyde. 

”Mr. Newman, I believe you are an honest man 
and one that is open to conviction, and since I have 
learned to know you, I have prayed that you might 
meet one of our strongest preachers and be con- 
vinced that our church is right. I have. had the good 
fortune to learn just this afternoon, that God has 
answered my prayer by sending one of the strongest 
preachers in our brotherhood, into our midst. Next 
Sunday, Brother H., who is not only a great scholar, 
but the polemic of our church, is going to begin a 
protracted meeting at the old McMullen chapel. If 
you will go and hear him preach just one sermon, 
I feel sure that you will not leave the sacred walls 
of that historic old building, until you are thor- 
oughly convinced that the church to which I belong 
'is one of the branches of the true church, and that 
The doctrine which we teach is identical with that 


124. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

which the Apostles taught. Mr. H. is a powerful 
preacher. He has not only won thousands of souls 
to Christ, but he has convinced hundreds of others, 
who were inclined to doubt the scripturalness of our 
plea, that the position which we occupy is infallibly 
correct, said the young lady. 

“I assure you, Miss Silvey, that it will give me 
an unlimited amount of pleasure to accompany you 
to the chapel to hear your minister and I promise 
3*ou, that if he can produce evidence from the Bible, 
sufficient to establish the truthfulness of his posi- 
tion, I will accept it and become a member of your 
church at once. As I have already said, all I claim 
for myself, is to be honest. The truth is what I 
want, and when I have learned the way of life, I 
will walk in it. Your minister can convince me 
that your church is right, providing he can give me 
‘A thus saith the Lord’ for every statement that he 
makes, but otherwise, he can never do it. You will 
pardon me, but it is time now that I should be in 
3’our uncle’s room to renew our arguments,” said 
the young man,- as he looked at his watch, rose and 
walked into ^Ir. ^^^’s room, closely followed by 
IMiss Silvey. 

“Good morning, ^Ir. W.,” he said. 

“Good morning, ^Ir. Newman,” said the infidel, as 
he pushed a chair towards the young man. “I sup- 
pose you have come to renew the argument, or have 
3’ou become convinced of 3^our error and changed 
3'our position again?” 

“No, sir, I have not changed m3' position, nor have 
I an3’ reason to do so. The contrast between 
Christianit3' and infidelit3' is too great. The princi- 
ples of Christ are so much superior to anything that 
the infidel has to ofter. that I am thoroughly con- 
vinced that the Bible is true,” said the young en- 


CRUSHING A GIANT 125. 

gineer, as he seated himself in a comfortable rocker 
before the fire. 

“Mr. Newman,” said Mr. W., “I will, admit that 
a great many things you said in your last argument 
are true. While infidelity is a great system, con- 
tains the greatest principles known to man, adheres 
to all the truths of nature, and will eventually rule 
the nations of earth, yet it is an undisputable fact 
that it has founded no great republics, established 
no kingdoms, nor has it planted any hospitals, but 
its principles are acknowledged by the most learned 
men of the world today. You may go into, even 
some of our theological seminaries, and you can see 
that the seed which was sown by great men like 
Voltaire, Paine and Ingersoll is taking root in the 
hraiij of the presidents, professors and pupils. It is 
not infrequent that we read of some scholarly min- 
ister preaching a sermon or writing an article, in 
which he denies the Bible account of creation, af- 
firms that the ‘Garden of Eden’ is a myth and that 
the whale and the Jonah’ story is a fable. Infidelity is 
doing this and the more of it that is done, the better 
off the world will be. While infidelity has not done 
much for the world, yet it must be remembered that 
it is in its infantile and unorganized state. Because 
infidelity has done but little for the world, arid 
Christianity has done much, is that any evidence 
that the former is wrong and the latter is right?” 

“I think so,” said Clyde; “the greatest teacher that 
the world has ever known said : ‘By their fruits, ye 
shall know them.’ Mr. W., the fruit test is the only 
test. I will admit that infidelity is in an unorgan- 
ized state, and it is my honest conviction, sir, that 
it will always be just as it is, by reason of the fact 
that it can furnish its subjects no truths upon which 
to organize; but if it is still in its infancy, it is 


V2‘j. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

undoubtedly, the oldest infant, of which I have ever 
heard. Your statement is somewhat paradoxical to 
that of other infidels. Their boast is, that infidelity 
is older than the Christian religion. Mr. W., if 
there is nothing in Christianity, but what we gain 
here, if I knew that the grave ended all, I would 
prefer to be a Christian and be associated not only 
with the best people on earth, but to be identified 
with that class of men and women that are doing 
something to make the world better, than to be 
an infidel and be classed with the saloon bums, anar- 
chists and heathens of earth. Infidelity has no es- 
sential or worthy principles that Christianity does 
not possess, while Christianity possesses thousands 
of good principles that infidelity does not have. In- 
fidelity has no legacy to give. It comes empty 
handed to a prospective subject and proposes to 
rob him of his social and political standing in the 
community in which he lives, blights his prospects 
for better things in this world and robs him of his 
sacred hope for the next. Xo, ^Ir. W., I can never 
be an infidel.” 

‘‘You may state the proposition you wish to af- 
firm in this ‘evening's discussion,” said the infidel. 

‘T will affirm the following proposition : 

“The fulfilled prophecies of both the Old and New 
Testaments, together with the pure. Holy and un- 
paralleled life of Christ and the superiority of His 
religion, prove that the Bible is of Divine origin. If 
this proposition is satisfactory with you I will pro- 
ceed with my argument.” 

“The proposition is satisfactory with me ; I will 
listen while you discuss it,” continued Mr. W. 

“Ist. Do the fulfilled prophecies of both the Old 
and X'ew Testaments prove that the Bible is of Di- 
vine origin? These two books contain many proph- 


CRUSHING A GIANT 


127 . 


ecies which were uttered by holy men of God, hun- 
dreds of years ago, and we have the testimony of 
more than one historian, who lived many centuries 
this side of the one in which the prophets spoke, and 
who wrote since the time the events, which \vere the 
subjects of the Seers' prophecies transpired, and 
their testimony, as it is found recorded upon the 
pages of ancient and modern history, testifies to the 
world that every detail of the prophecies of both 
books was fulfilled. 

‘‘The first example to which I call your attention, 
is the one concerning the destruction of Babylon, 
the great Chaldean city. It stood surrounded by 
a seemingly impenetrable wall, which stood lifting 
its glittering towers, high up into the heavens. 
Babylon, with her never tiring watchers, backed up 
by an innumberable army, entrenched behind her 
mighty circle of stone and mortar and holding in 
her hands the reins of the then civilized world, 
seemed to defy not only the combined armies of 
earth, but that of heaven as well. Her proud king, 
dressed in his royal robes and attended by hundreds 
of his trained servants, looked out upon his swing- 
ing gardens, fine palaces, bubbling pools and gold- 
en gods and in the pride of his heart, praised the 
mighty w^orks of his own hands by saying: ‘Is this 
not great Barbvlon that I have built for the house 
of the kingdom by the might of mv power and for 
the honor of my majesty?’ But God, who exalts 
the humble and casts down the proud, had said that 
Babvlon should fall. Accordingly, Isaiah and Jere- 
miah, God’s Holy Seers, picked up the telescope of 
prophecy, stepped out on the portico of the coming 
centuries, looked down the vista of the unborn ages 
and sounded out to the denizens of earth, that Baby- 
lon must fall. The decree of heaven has been hurled 


128. FllOM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

against her and in obedience to God’s eternal word^ 
her mighty walls, and golden palaces have tumbled 
down in ruin and decay and now mark the spot 
where a proud city once stood. Let us hear what 
God’s prophets said, while the ty was yet standing 
wrapped in her luxurious glory: ‘Behold, I will stir 
up the Medes against them, which shall not regard 
silver; and as for gold, they shall not delight in it. 
Their bows shall dash the young men to pieces; and 
they shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb ; 
their eyes shall not spare children. And Babylon,, 
the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of Chaldees excel- 
lency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and 
Gamorrah.’ Though this was spoken more than 
a century before Babylon was overthrown, yet 
Isaiah, by the aid of the Divine wisdom, could look 
down the coming ages and see that mighty army of 
the Medes and Persians, yet unborn, march with 
one steady tread upon the unsuspecting Babylon- 
ians, turn the course of the river, march under the 
mighty walls and capture the wine crazed inhabi- 
tants of that corrupt city. Why all of this? Be- 
cause God had spoken and the Divine edict had gone 
forth, signed by heaven’s unfailing hand, and 
though kingdoms shall crumble, thrones tumble, 
monarchs perish and stately walls shall waste away 
under the never ceasing hand of time and even 
heaven and earth shall pass away, but His words 
will never pass away. Listen again to the words 
of the mighty Prophet, as he thunders once more 
against the proud Metropolis, which was yet to 
reach the zenith of its glory: Tt shall never be in- 
habited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation 
to generation : neither shall the Arabian pitch tent 
there ; neither shall the shepherds take their folds 
there. But wild beast of the desert shall lie there ; and 


CRUSHING A GIANT 


129 . 


their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and 
owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there. 
And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their 
desolate houses, ancj^^ragons in their pleasant pal- 
aces : and her time is near to come, and her days 
shall not be proloi '^ed.' It has been over fourteen 
centuries since Bab Ion has been inhabited and her 
ruins have reached such a state of decay, that it is 
impossible to ever rebuild them. Let us hear what 
eye witnesses say about the present condition of 
Babylon : ‘Volney exclaims : “O ye solitary ruins 
Capt. Mignan says : ‘‘I cannot portray the over- 
powering sensations of reverential awe that pos- 
sessed my mind while contemplating the extent and 
magnitude of ruin and devastation on every side.’"' 
Mignan’s travels, as quoted by Keith. Mr. Keppel 
says : “A more complete picture of desolation could 
not well be imagined.” Mr. Porter says: “I could 
not but feel an indescribable awe in thus passing, as- 
it were, into the gates of fallen Babylon.” He 
speaks of the Euphrates still running through the 
silent ruins and devastation, and then exclaims : 
‘'But how changed the rest of the scene ! These 
broken hills were once palaces ; these long undu- 
lating mounds were streets ; this vast solitude was- 
busy subjects of the proud daughter of the East. 
Now wasted with misery, her habitations are not 
to be found.” ’ Scott’s Hand-Book of Christian Evi- 
dence, page 73. How true are the words of Jere- 
miah when he said : ‘It shall be desolate : every one 
that goeth by Babylon shall be astonished.’ 

“The New Testament, like the Old, contains many 
prophecies, some of which have long since been ful- 
filled, and others are yet to be fulfilled. The one I 
call your attention to, is one that I think every 
candid reader and observer can see is being fulfilled 


130. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

before the eyes of the world today. Paul says: ‘Now 
we beseech you brethren, by the coming of our 
Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together 
unto Him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or 
be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by 
letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at 
hand. Let no man deceive you by any means ; for 
that day will not come, except there comes a falling 
away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son 
of perdition. Who opposeth and exalteth himself 
above all that is called God, or that is worshipped 
so that ‘he as God, sitteth in the temple of God, 
shewing himself that he is God.’ When the great 
Apostle penned these words, he was looking but a 
few years into the future and his keen prophetical 
gaze fell upon that monarch of our ecclesiastical 
night, the papacy of the Roman Hierarchy, the man 
of sin, which is evidently the Pope of Rome. In the 
first place the time was but a little ways off, the 
seed of the apostacy was already sown and, even in 
Paul’s day, some were departing from the' faith. Let 
us analyze this scripture : 

“ ‘For that day will not come, except there be a 
falling away first.’ I ask you if, ringing of bells, 
burning of candles, penance instead of repentance, 
adoration of images, priestly robes, changing of the 
ordinances of God, and accepting the traditions of 
men instead of the pure religion of Christ, was not 
a falling away? Let us notice the character of the 
man of sin and see what or whom he resembles : 
‘Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that 
is called God, or that is worshiped.’ You will no- 
tice that it does not say that he is to exalt himself 
above God, but above all that is called God. It is a 
well known fact that rulers and kings have the titles 
of god or lord attached to them. It is said that Al- 


UUU6HING A GIANT 


131 . 


•cxander the Great, claimed to be a god and ordered 
Divine worship paid to him. Satan worked secretly 
until he got Caesar’s successor dethroned and at an 
'Opportune time hoisted the man of sin, the Pope 
of Rome, to the Imperial chair. He was then ex- 
alted above all that was called God. He did not rule, 
only over bishops and priests, but he extended his 
tyrannical reign far beyond the limits of his eccle- 
siastical authority and usurped the power of the 
civil rulers. Gregory VH extended his bloody 
scepter, touched the royal crown of Henry IV, 
clothed him in sackcloth and for three long days 
made the ruler of the German Empire stand with 
bare feet in the snow at the gate of the Roman 
Pontiff. Pope Celestine, it is said, raised his foot 
which had been kissed by bishops and rulers, and 
kicked the crown from the head of Henry VH. Let 
iis see by what outlandish titles the power covering 
pope allows his deluded subjects to address him. 
They call him: ‘Sovereign Pontiff,’ ‘Holy Father,’ 
■‘Universal Patriarch,’ ‘Supreme Head,’ ‘Successor of 
Peter,’ ‘Infallible One,’ ‘Lord of Lords,’ ‘His Holi- 
ness,’ ‘Lord God, the Pope,’ ‘Prince of the Apostles,’ 
‘Vicar of Christ.’ ‘Archbishop Percell made use of 
some of these titles in his debate with Alexander 
Campbell, pages 21, 106, 124, and 241.’ Scott’s Hand- 
Book of Christian Evidence, page 197. The same au- 
thor on the same page tells us how the bishops ad- 
dress the pope; the following are his words: ‘Thou 
Most Holy Lord, Thou the Vicar of Christ, the 
Bishop of Bishops, the Supreme Judge of the Faith, 
and Arbiter of all Controversies; Thou the Head 
of the Church, the Light of the Nations, let us hum- 
bly ask of Thee.’ Truly can it be said of the pope 
that he ‘opposeth and exalted himself above all that 
is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he, as 


132. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 


Cod, sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself 
that he is God.” 

“ Even him, whose coming is after the working of 
Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders.’ 
Any one who is at all acquainted with the deceitful 
and cunning works of Satan and familiar with the 
history of the popes, can readily see that their com- 
ing is very much after the order of Satan. Catholics 
themselves admit that some of the popes whom they 
have lauded as their ‘Lord of Lords’ were bad men. 
Archbishop Percell acknowledged that there were 
some bad popes, and said : ‘I should not be surprised 
if these bad popes were at this moment expiating their 
crimes in the penal fires of hell.’ Campbell and Per- 
cell debate, page 145. Are there any signs and lying 
wonders in the Catholic Church ? Read what ex-Priest 
P)ernard Fresenborg, in his ‘Thirty Years in Hell,’ 
says about the ‘Mother Superior,’ ‘St. Anthony,’ and 
the poor deluded dupes kissing the bones of supposed 
saints, thinking tliat by so doing they will be cured of 
any disease that they possess. Mr. W., the testimony 
of ancient writers, the crumbling walls, which mark 
the place where great cities once stood, and the history 
whose pages are made crimson with the crimes of 
Catholicism, stand as never-dying witnesses, testify- 
ing to the truthfulness of God’s Holy Book. 

“2d. Does the pure, holy and unparalleled life of 
Christ stand as an unimpeachable witness ; testifying to 
the Divine origin of the Bible? I affirm that it does. 
There never was a man that spake like this man. 
Compare His life with that of Mohammed, who un- 
sheathed his sword and brought nations to his feet for 
his own exaltation and glory, while Jesus said to 
(Peter, ‘Put up again thy sword into his place,’ and 
that, too, while the bloodthirsty mob was crowding 


UUUSHING A GIANT 


138 . 


in upon Him to crucify Him upon a cross of shame. 
While He was hanging upon the cross that stood over 
against Calvary, enduring the most painful agony to 
which the flesh is heir, not even a frown of hate or 
revenge settled upon His lovely face, not an evil or 
harmful thought entered into His tender heart, but 
He turned His bleeding face, and eyes which were 
swimming in tears that were shed for the salvation 
of the world, and with an expression beaming with 
Divine affection and mercy He gazed into heaven 
and from the very depths of His wounded and torn 
heart, and while in the last struggles of death, He 
prayed for those whose hands -were stained with the 
blood from His own sacred veins and whose cruel and 
mocking jeers continued, even after His bruised and 
broken body was cold in death. 

“3d. Does the superiority of the religion of Christ 
prove that the Bible is of Divine origin? I affirm 
that it does. The Christian religion is original with 
Christ. Its principles were not handed down from 
heathen nations, or compiled from other religions. It 
is not narrow and selfish like that of the Jewish or 
Egyptian religions, but it takes the whole world for 
its field and makes every creature an heir to its bless- 
ings. It includes all that is good and rejects all that 
is bad. There is not a good principle known to the 
human race, that the New Testament does not in- 
dorse, or is there a bad one that it does not condemn. 
It is the only religion that teaches forgiveness. Jesus 
taught His disciples to love their enemies and to 
pray for those that despitefully use them. He taught 
them to be kind, honest and truthful, and in order 
that they may have a model after which to pattern 
their own lives. He came* and set them an example, 
by living a life the equal of which the world has. never 
seen. The Christian religion is the only religion that 


134. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 


teaches the Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood 
of man. Before Christ graced the earth with His 
Divine presence, the world was divided into nations, 
and were known only as such. They were Romans 
and Greeks, Jews and Gentiles, but when Jesus came. 
He abolished every partition wall, removed every di- 
viding barrier from among the nations and said, ‘Ye 
are all brethren.’ The Christian religion is the only 
religion which teaches that humility is the road to 
greatness. Nero had a mistaken idea. He thought 
that, in order to be great, he must murder Christians, 
subdue nations, pull emperors from their thrones, and 
be lauded as a god. Alexander the Great through! 
that true happiness could be found only as a con- 
queror. It is said of him that he conquered the world 
and wept because there was none other to conquer. 
Neither he nor Nero could find pleasure in tearing 
down great kingdoms or capturing strong armies, and 
both men died in disappointment and shame. During 
their lives of luxury and what the world falsely terms 
greatness, they never experienced as much real joy 
as did the poor widow who cast her mite in the treas- 
ure of the temple of the Lord and received not only 
a Divine blessing from the Son of God, but the islands 
'Of every sea and the nations of both Hemispheres 
are holding up her worthy deed as an example which 
the world would do well to imitate, while the ashes 
•of Nero and Alexander are sleeping beneath the ruins 
'Of fallen kingdoms, and they are held up before a civ- 
ilized world only as an example of men whose hearts 
were miserable and whose lives were failures, and 
their names are perpetuatejd only because of the hor- 
rible crimes they have committed. How unlike the 
principles of Him who said, ‘He that is greatest 
among you, let him be your servant.’ The religion 
of Christ is tb^^ onlv religion that teaches a life be- 


CRUSHING A GIANT 


135 , 


yond the grave. Jesus said: ‘Let not your hearts- 
be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me. 
In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were 
not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a 
place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for 
you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself : 
that where I am, there ye may be also.’ 

‘Air. W., you may bring me the wealth of a Rocke- 
feller, the gold of a Klondike, the eloquence of an 
Ingersoll, the wisdom of a Solomon, and the honor 
of a king. Yes, you may offer me all the glory, honor,, 
wealth and power that the world has to give ; I would 
throw them at my feet and in my blindness to earth’s 
vain promises walk upon the world’s best gifts, raise 
my hands to heaven, and pray to the Lamb that was 
slain, but who is now alive forevermore, to give me in 
their stead a Christian’s hope. 

“Mr. W., this discussion is now ended. I am no 
longer a doubter, but I believe every word in God’s 
Holv Book : and I shall henceforth make it my con- 
stant companion, open its sacred pages, sit at the feet 
of Jesus and let Him teach me the way of life and 
holiness,'’ said the young engineer, as he bade them 
good night and retired to his room. 


136. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 


CHAPTER XL 


A ne:w re:solution. 

One cold Sunday morning in the month of Jan- 
uary, just as the first golden glimmerings of the rising 
sun were shooting their fiery beams of light over the 
eastern hills and casting their dazzling rays against 
the tall peaks of the long Rocky range, which made 
their ice-laden sides look like so many mountains of 
bright, glittering diamonds, light footfalls were heard 
upon the broad stairs of Mr. W.’s old mansion and 
a moment more three gentle raps of a baby’s hand 
sounded gainst the door of the young engineer’s 
room. 

“Mr. Newman, breakfast is about ready,” came the 
words of a six-year-old girl, as her youthful voice 
rang out through the halls of that quiet mountain 
home. 

“All right. Miss Nellie. It is, very kind in you to 
wake me, otherwise I may have slept here all day,”, 
came the response from the inside, as Clyde sprang 
from the bed and proceeded to dress himself, while 
he listened to the irregular steps and merrv song of 
the little' girl, as she was half sliding down the smooth 
handrail of the wide stairs. As soon as the young 
man finished his toilet, he hurried into the room where 
Miss Silvey and little Nellie were busy arranging the 
morning meal on the large dining-table, that seemed 
to be groaning under its weight of delicious fruits and 
meats which wer“ spread so invitingly before them. 


A NEW RESOLUTION. 


137 . 


*‘Good morning, Mr. Newman,” said the young lady 
as she was trying to press a small wrinkle from the 
snow-white linen which had been so carefully and 
tastefully arranged on the table as not only to add 
neatness and cleanliness to the appearance of the room 
but to make the meal appear appetizing as well. 

“Good morning, Miss Silvey,” said Clyde, as he 
turned to look at the young lady, whose dark brown 
eyes and hair, together with her soft white hands and 
neatly fitting cook apron seemed to cause his affec- 
tionate heart to cease to beat for an instant, as he 
thought: “You have always seemed lovely to me, 
but never so much so as now.” 

“Mr. Newman, I am so happy this morning, and 
I thank you, oh, so much, for what you have done 
for my papa,” said little Nellie, as she playfully skip- 
ped across the floor, placed her thin, pale hand in 
Clyde’s, and turned her sweet but colorless face, 
which was wearing an expression that belonged, not 
so much to this as to the celestial world, towards his, 
while he looked down into her dark brown eyes, made 
lovely by an affection that could be possessed by 
none except those whose souls have been touched 
and claimed by the angels of God. Clyde’s heart 
swelled within him while he raised his eyes, which 
were floating in tears, to gaze towards heaven and, 
half murmuring to himself, said: 

“No wonder that the lonely Traveler of Galilee 
said ‘of such is the kingdom of heaven.’ Little 
Nellie is too fair and lovely for this earth. She 
won’t be here long, for God will have need for just 
such an one as her, up in that starry world, to add 
joy to the redeemed that are already in heaven. 
The swift-winged messenger of Death is now, no 
doubt, resting his celestial pinions within God’s gold- 
en gates, waiting for the summons to soar to earth 


138. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

and with one tender touch of his divine hand break 
asunder her fleshly shackles, fold beneath his strong 
wings her precious soul, bid farewell to earth, and, 
with his heaven-bound burden, waft his way back to 
the city of God.” 

‘‘What has Mr. Newman done for your papa?” 
asked Miss Silvey as she stooped to kiss the thin, pale 
cheeks and brush the long brown curls of her little 
cousin. 

“He has almost gotten papa to love Jesus. I heard 
him tell mamma last night that if he knew the Bible 
was true, he would love God and try to get people to 
be good and kind like you are. He thought I was 
asleep, but I wasn’t. I laid just as still as I could, 
and I said my prayers again and asked Jesus to send 
•one of His good kind angels and tell papa all about 
the Bible and those beautiful mansions He has gone 
to prepare for . us. I laid awake a long time and 
watched for the angel, but he did not come, and 
then I cried,” said the little girl, as she raised her 
small bony hand to wipe the fresh tears which had 
_gushed from her eyes and washed down her pallid 
face. 

“Why did you cry, sweetheart?” continued the 
young lady, as she hugged the little girl to her 
bosom. 

“Because, when I was sick the other day, I heard 

the doctor tell mamma that I could not live long. I 

would not care to die and go to heaven to be one of 

God’s angels if I knew my papa would not come to 

me when he dies, but ,” said the little girl, as 

she threw her small arms around Miss Silvey’s neck, 
nestled her tear-stained face close to the young lady’s 
and wept aloud, while her tender little heart was 
fluttering like a frightened bird in its cage. 

“You must not worry about those things, Nellie. 


A NEW RESOLUTION. 139. 

Everything will be all right. Your papa will some 
day love Jesus and go to you, when you are a little 
angel in heaven. God knows best, and will do all 
things well. You may go now and tell your papa 
and mamma to come to breakfast,” said Miss Silvey, 
as she rose and finished preparing the table for the 
morning meal. 

Nellie dried her tears, rushed into her father’s 
room and told her parents that the morning meal 
was ready. The family was soon seated at the break- 
fast table, and when they were through, Nellie re- 
turned with her papa and mamma to the large living 
apartment, thus leaving Miss Sylvie and Clyde alone 
in the dining-room. 

‘'Mr. Newman,” said Miss Silvey, “^‘this is the day 
that Brother H. is to begin his meeting at the chapel, 
and I suppose you are ready to redeem your promise 
by going to hear this scholarly man preach?” 

‘T never fail to keep a promise, when it is within 
my power to do so. I shall regard it a pleasure to 
accompany you to the chapel this morning, and I 
feel quite sure that I will be rewarded for my trip, 
by hearing a sermon which will materially aid me in 
my earnest endeavor to learn just what God would 
have me to do to be saved,” said the young engineer, 
as he assisted the young lady to wash the dishes. 

‘T will assure you that you will not be only highly 
entertained by listening to our eloquent and able 
preacher, but you wfll return from that sacred old 
chapel feeling that you are the proud recipient of 
more blessings than one. In the first place. Brother 
H. possesses the rare faculty of holding an audience 
spellbound for hours by his unexcelled and unexcel- 
lable flights of oratory; and, in the second place, he 
is a profound scholar, and his recognition as a logi^ 
cian is world wide. I feel that nothing short of 


140. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

God’s goodness and special providence has sent this 
worthy and able preacher into our midst. This com- 
-munity will be wonderfully blessed as a result of his 
remarkable ability and godly life. 

“You will pardon me, Mr. Newman, but I cannot 
refrain from, telling you that, in order for you to 
enjoy the meeting and get religion, it will be neces- 
sary for you to disabuse your mind of one erroneous 
and unscriptural idea.” 

“As I have always said, all that I claim for myself 
is that I am honest. If I am laboring under the re- 
sult of false teachings and have fallen a victim to 
error, I shall abandon my position and accept the 
truth just as soon as I am taught the way of the 
Lord more perfectly. May I ask you. Miss Silvey, 
what that erroneous and unscriptural idea is?” said 
the young engineer. 

“Yes, sir. I have gathered from your conversa- 
tions with my uncle that you are laboring under the 
impression that God wants you to do something to be 
saved, when the Bible and good men teach us that it 
is all by faith. Just believe and you will be saved. 
Listen to this quotation, which is from the pen of 
some scholarly and godly man, whose mind was 
lighted up by the inspiration of God and whose hand 
was guided by that of heaven: ‘Salvation by faith 
only is a most wholesome doctrine and very full of 
comfort.’ This worthy and scriptural edict has lived 
throughout unnumbered ages and comes to us, re- 
gardless of all the thunderbolts of the skilled and 
learned critics that have been hurled against it, as 
pure and freighted with as much consolation and truth 
as it did to those who first heard the Divine mes- 
sage, and whose souls were gloriously saved by its 
mighty power. Like the Gibraltar, whose sides have 
been lashed by the mad waves of the mighty storm- 


A NEW RESOLUTION. 


141 . 


tossed ocean, and is today the recognized master of 
the sea and the storm, so does this quotation stand as 
the unmoved and unmovable rock of Divine truth in 
God’s holy plan. Mr. Newman, you can’t do any- 
thing to save yourself from sin. You must just throw 
yourself on the mercy and goodness of God, 'and in 
the words of the Publican of old, say, ‘Dord, have 
mercy on me, a sinner,’ and Christ will save you. Do 
you ask for proof? Listen to the words of Paul; he 
said, ‘For whosoever shall call upon the name of the 
Lord shall be saved.’ No, Mr. Newman; you can’t 
do anything to save yourself. Faith alone, in God 
alone, is the lone condition on which we can be 
saved.” 

“Miss Silvey, I fear you will think I am a better 
critic than teacher. But may I ask if the quotation, 
about which you have been so elaborate in your 
comments, ‘Salvation by faith only is a most whole- 
some doctrine and very full of comfort,’ is a Bible 
one?” said the young engineer. 

“No, sir; it is not a Bible quotation, but it is in 
perfect harmony with the teaching of the schiptures 
and is therefore brimming full of truth. It is a 
quotation from our church discipline and is bound 
to be correct, otherwise it would have been culled 
from the book. It was written by men, who, like 
David, could speak from experience, when he said : 
‘This is my comfort in my affliction: for Thy word 
hath quickened me,’ ” said Miss Silvey, as she placed 
the last dish in the cupboard and turned to brush the 
crumbs from the table. 

“You will please pardon me, but David did not 
say that his faith alone had quickened him, but it 
appears to me as though it required the word of God 
in addition to his faith to save him. But, as I have- 
already said, I don’t understand the Bible and am 


142. , FROM THE THROTTLETO THE THROKE. 

asking these questions for information, but I shall, 
have to confess my inability to see any harmony ex- 
isting between the quotation from your discipline and 
the one from the Bible. I expect to become a Chris- 
tian just as soon as I learn the way or eternal life,. 
I never can accept your position as long as it seems^ 
paradoxical with the teaching of the Divine Rec- 
ord," continued Clyde. 

“Of course it took the word of God in addition to^ 
David’s faith to save him. No one can be saved 
without His word,” said the young lady. 

“Was the faith of David the word of God?” asked 
Clyde. 

“No, sir,” said the young lady. 

“If David’s faith was not the- word of God, and it 
required the word in addition to save him, it ap- 
pears to me like he was not saved by faith alone,, 
and if he could not be saved by faith alone, neither 
can we. If it requires more than faith to save us, 
it follows that the quotation from your church dis- 
cipline is false, and cannot be of God. I read in 
my Bible where Jesus says : ‘Not every one that 
saith unto me, “Lord, Lord,” shall enter into the 
kingdom of heaven ; but he that doeth the will of 
my Father which is in heaven,’ and ‘Except ye re- 
pent, ye shall all likewise perish.’ I repeat that I 
do not feel myself competent to teach or even under- 
stand the Bible, but from the reading of these two- 
passages, it seems to me like God requires us to do 
something to be saved,” said the young man. 

“I have no desire, neither do I feel competent to- 
argue the question with you, Mr. Newman,” said 
the young lady, “but I am confident that you will see 
your error when you hear Rev. H., who understands 
the Bible thoroughly and will take great pleasure- 
in teaching you the way of life and salvation. A 


A NEW RESOLUTION. 


143 . 


man who can ward off the master blows of my schol- 
arly uncle and establish the Divinity of God’s Holy 
Book, as you have, will experience no difficulty in 
seeing and understanding the truth when it is prop- 
erly set before you. It is growing late and it will 
be necessary for us to utilize every moment in order 
to reach the chapel in time for the morning sermon. 
I will be ready to go in ab6ut thirty minutes,” she 
said, as she spread a clean white cloth over the table 
and went upstairs to her room. 

Clyde remained by the dining-room fire and waited 
for the young lady, who returned in less than half 
an hour, opened the door and walked into the room, 
dressed in a suit of dark brown, with hat and gloves 
to correspond in color and a long, rich sealskin fur 
thrown around her neck. 

“Mr. Newman,” she said, “I suspect we had bet- 
ter go. It is almost two miles over there and uncle 
•says we. had better walk across the mountain, as the 
snow is so badly drifted in the road that it would 
he impossible for a horse to get through.” 

“I have no choice, but shall be governed alto- 
gether by your pleasure in the matter,” said Clyde, 
as his eyes met the young lady’s and the two stood 
and gazed at each other with an affectionate feel- 
ing which words cannot describe. 

The young lady reached down, took her little 
•cousin in her arms, kissed her an affectionate good- 
bye and started with the young engineer down 
the narrow path which wound its way through the 
fields and gates and over the steep mountain. 

“Do you remember this place?” asked Clyde as 
he pointed to the spot where he had, less than 
four months before, rescued the young lady from 
the jaws of the hungry bear. 

“Ugh !” shuddered the young lady. “I think so. 


144. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

It makes me nervous yet, to even think of this 
desolate and horrible place. Mr. Newman, what if 
it had not been for your timely arrival and accu- 
rate marksmanship on that dreadful day?” said the 
young lady, as she unconsciously took hold of the 
young man’s strong arm, raised her large brown 
eyes and looked into his manly face, while an 
aflectionate smile wa^ playing upon her lovely 
countenance. 

“I don’t know, but possibly some one else would 
have come to your rescue and saved you even 
sooner than I did. Let that be as it may, but your 
apparent appreciation has paid me more than a 
thousand times for my humble service to you, and 
while I shall always rejoice to know that my name 
will live in your memory, by reason of my assist- 
ance to you in the hour of the greatest peril of 
your life, yet I have a reason to regret,” he said. 

“Are you sorry that you saved me, or what 
have you to regret?” she asked, half smiling. 

“No, but I am sorry that my life has been such 
that I have been unable to merit your apprecia- 
tion, beyond that of mere friendship,” he said. 

“Mr. Newman, I am inclined to believe your 
judgment in this matter is like it is in regard to 
the Bible — at fault. But how can you think of 
one, who is as homeless and miserable as I am, 
other than a friend? I have been driven from a 
home of wealth, debarred from a place in a moth- 
er’s affection and branded by the friends of my 
youth as an outcast and a vagabond,” she said, 
as her eyes filled with tears and she sobbed 
aloud. 

“Miss Silvey, the sad story of your wounded 
heart and wronged life appeals to me with an 
interest which seems to be my own, and my ap- 


A NEW RESOLUTION. 


145 . 


preciation for your firmness and loyalty to that 
which you think is right knows no bounds. Your 
sweet and loving disposition and affectionate heart 
have paved their way into the very chambers of 
my sympathetic soul. In the fondest dreams of 
my future happiness, I fancy you as the principal 
figure in the little drama of my own life,” said 
Clyde. 

“I assure you, Mr. Newman, that I appreciate 
the high and exalted position that I occupy in 
your affections, but I am inclined to believe that 
there is another, who is more fair and lovely than 
I, that reigns as the queen of your heart. 

“Here is the chapel, Mr. Newman,” she said, as 
she pointed to an old weather-beaten building 
which was all but hidden by the spreading oaks, 
whose bending boughs were almost touching its 
snow-covered roof. 

“Who, except Brother H., could fill this build’ 
ing with people who have come through the snow 
for miles to hear him preach?” she continued, as 
they walked into the crowded chapel and sat down 
near the center of the building. 

After the choir had sung two songs, which were 
followed by a prayer, a tall, muscular man, with 
raven dark hair and eyes, broad, massive face and 
high forehead, stepped into the pulpit. There was 
a deathlike silence settled over the audience as this 
master of eloquence and logic stood perfectly erect 
and looked over the crowded chapel. 

“Oh, if I could only tell him what to preach 
-on !” said the young lady, unconsciously, as her 
firm gaze seemed to be riveted on the speaker be- 
fore her. 

“What would you tell him?” asked the young 
• engineer. 


146. FROM THE THROTTLE TOTHE/THRONL. 

“I would tell him to preach on how the sinner 
is saved/’ she continued. 

“Ladies and gentlemen,” said the speaker, as his 
strong, heavy voice rang out against the walls of 
the old-time sacred building, “my mission in your 
midst is not to seek my own glory, or the applause 
of men; but I have come to preach Jesus and Him 
crucified. If I can succeed in dispelling a doubt, 
cheering a lonely life, comforting a sorrowing 
heart, or be instrumental in teaching a sinner the 
way of life eternal, I shall feel that my trip to 
this, the most picturesque State in the Union, is 
not a failure. 

“Subject today is, ‘How the Sinner is Saved.’ In 
my discourse I shall affirm and prove by God’s 
Holy Book that the sinner is saved by faith alone.” 

“Surely the hand of God has led us here,” said 
the young lady. 

“In order to make this subject plain and pre- 
clude any possibility of being misunderstood,” 
continued the speaker, “I will ask and answer the 
following questions : 

“1st. Is the unregenerated man sinful and in 
need cif salvation? 2d. Will the law save him? 
3d. Can he do anything to merit, or in any way 
aid in securing, his own salvation? 4th. Will 
faith alone save him? 

“We will take these questions up and answer 
them in the order in which they are stated. 

“1st. Is the unregenerated man sinful and in 
need of salvation? I affirm that he is, and I feel 
almost persuaded to act upon the presumption that 
all candid and honest men are agreed with me that 
my affirmation is true. But for fear there might 
be a doubting Thomas or a skeptic present, I shall 
turn to Paul’s letter to the brethren at Rome and 


A NEW RESOLUTION. 


147 . 


read what God’s specially called apostle says 
about the condition of the unregenerated man ; hear 
what he says : ‘For all have sinned, and come 
short of the glory of God.’ Again he says to the 
same church: ‘Therefore as by the oflfense of one, 
judgment came upon all men to condemnation.' 
God knew that a knowledge of the real condition 
of the sinner was indispensable to his full and com- 
plete redemption from sin. Accordingly He stood 
on the smoky summit of a quaking Sinai and 
preached condemnation to a sin-burdened nation 
and wrote their epitaph on two tables of stone. 
He sent his servant Jonah into a crime-stained 
Nineveh, to cry in their ears the sad story of their 
own condemnation, and warn them of the' gather- 
ing clouds which would soon settle over them and 
rain Jehovah’s eternal wrath down upon their 
wicked city. He sent His Holy Prophets to warn 
the sinful nations, of all ages, of their poverty 
and corruption in the sight of heaven, but last and 
best of all He sent His only begotten Son, that 
whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, 
but have everlasting life. But when the meek and 
lowly Son of God came to earth, He redeemed 
man by the power of His cross and suspended his 
salvation upon the one condition of faith alone. 
Listen to His own words: ‘Verily, verily, I say 
unto you, he that believeth on Me hath everlast- 
ing life.’ 

“2d. Will the law save him? I answer. No. 
To make this emphatic affirmation does in no way 
reflect on the goodness, wisdom or power of our 
Heavenly Father. He who, by the power of His 
word, could swing the sun into space and set the 
moon in her cycles ; He, who can speak multiplied 
millions of worlds into existence, bring the dead 


148. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 


to life and defy the powers of death itself, could 
have made a law that would have been adequate 
for the salvation of the sinner, if He should have 
so desired, but it was not His pleasure that sinful 
man should be saved, only through the merits of 
faith in His Son. Why did He make the law? 
That man may see and know the awful condition 
into which sin has plunged all the sons of Adam. 
To prove that my position is infallibly correct, I 
call your attention to the words of Paul : ‘For by 
the law is the knowledge of sin.’ While the law 
was holy, just and good, yet it could not take away 
sin or justify the sinner. To prove this, Paul, our 
faithful and unimpeachable witness, comes to our 
rescue again. Hear his testimony : ‘Therefore by 
the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified 
in His sight.’ The law was continually crying in 
the ears of the denizens of earth that their sacrifices 
could never take away sin, but that there would 
be a remembrance made of them every year. Let 
us hear Paul again; he seems to be arguing this 
point for us : ‘But in these sacrifices there is a 
remembrance again made of sins every year.’ The 
law was adequate to come around once each year 
and warn man of his sinful state, but was inade- 
quate to take away their sins. Let us hear our 
witness again : ‘For it is not possible that the 
blood of bulls and goats should take away sins.’ 
The law could change the habits, customs and prac- 
tices of sinful men, but it could not change their 
hearts. It was only ‘A figure for the time then 
present, in which were offered both gifts and sac- 
rifices, that could not make him that did the serv- 
ice perfect, as pertaining to the conscience ; which 
stood only in meats and drinks, and divers wash- 
ings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them un- 


A NEW resolution. 


149 . 


til the time of reformation.' The law could not change 
the heart, and of course only those that are pure 
in heart can be saved, therefore it follows that 
the law could not save. 

“3d. Can he do anything to merit, or in any 
way aid in securing, his own salvation. That he 
can is believed by some, whom I am sorry to say 
claim to be Bible readers and even Christians, but 
yet it seems so absurd, unreasonable and unscrip- 
tural in its nature that it would be an insult to 
your intelligence to even attempt to show its fal- 
lacy. But there may be some young lady or gen- 
tleman in this audience who has been so unfor- 
tunate as to have fallen a victim to this false teach- 
ing, and I would not be doing my duty in the 
sight of God if I did not assist them at this hour, 
to see, not only the error of their way, but the 
pure and unadulterated light of God’s Holy Word. 
However, just one quotation will suffice to dis- 
abuse the mind of those, if any are present, who 
believe that works will save them, tet us call 
Paul and hear what he has to say on this ques- 
tion : ‘For by grace are ye saved through faith ; 
and that not of yourselves : it is the gift of God : 
not of works, lest any man should boast.’ My 
friends, this quotation from God’s Holy Apostle 
emphatically and unequivocally settle's this ques- 
tion for time and eternity. If he could save him- 
self, he would have room to boast, but the faith 
alone theory comes along and excludes boasting. 

“4th. Will faith alone save him? This fourth 
and last division of my subject is the one upon 
which I love to linger the longest. Truly I can 
say, in the words of the Scripture, that I have 
saved the best of the wine for the last of the feast, 
and in the words of our discipline, that ‘Salvation 


150. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

by faith only is a most wholesome doctrine and 
very full of comfort.’ This faith alone doctrine is 
the doctrine of the Bible. It has cheered the lone- 
ly, comforted the sorrowing and saved the dying. 
But, you may ask, is it true? If it were possible 
for me to pull back the heavy veil, swing open 
the golden gates and bring heaven down to earth, 
methinks we would hear angels shouting this doc- 
trine from one end of its sweet dome to the other, 
while multiplied millions of God’s redeemed would 
rise as one mighty body and testify to the truthful- 
ness of this Divine doctrine. But as this veil is 
too heavy to be parted by an arm of flesh, those 
golden gates too sacred to be touched by human, 
hands and heaven’s light too dazzling for mortal 
eyes, our argument must be based upon the re- 
vealed word of God. I call your attention to two 
Bible witnesses, who have been testifying to a lost 
world for more than six thousand years, that they 
were saved by faith alone. 

“Abel was saved by faith. His sacrifice was 
accepted, and so was he, because he recognized in 
it the atoning blood of Christ, in which his faith 
reposed, and his soul had a hope which reached 
within the veil, and by his faith he obtained wit- 
ness that he was righteous, God testifying of his 
good gift. Cain was rejected because his sacrifice 
represented his faith. He undertook to do some- 
thing to be saved, thinking, doubtless, like many 
do today that his works would be sufficient com- 
mendations to insure his acceptance with God, and 
then he would have reason for boasting. Again, 
Abraham believed God and it was counted unta 
him for righteousness. We see that both Abel and 
Abraham obtained salvation by faith alone, and if 
they could be saved by faith alone, so can we, and 


A NEW RESOLUTION. 151 . 

if works could not save them, neither can they 
-save us. ‘We have no confidence in the flesh,’ says 
Paul. Thus we see that in order for the sinner to 
be saved from sin he must not rely upon any works 
or fleshly performance. Truly we can say, in the 
words of the apostle: ‘Not by works of righteous- 
ness which we have done, but according to His 
mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration 
and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which was shed 
on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior; 
that, being justified by His grace, we should be 
jnade heirs according to the hope of eternal life.’ 
My kind hearers, faith alone, in God alone, is the 
lone condition upon which God has promised to 
^save the sinner. 

“While we sing, the congregation will please 
stand, and if there are those present who are sin- 
ners that want to get religion and be saved, com6 
to the altar.” 

The large congregation rose and began to sing 
■“Just As I am. Without One Plea.” Scarcely had 
the echoes of the first words of the song died away 
when Clyde Newman walked to the front, gave 
the minister his hand and sat down in the first pew. 
The congregation continued to sing while fifteen 
or more people gathered about the altar. 

“Let us pray,” said the minister, as he kneeled 
down by a long bench, lifted his hands toward 
heaven and prayed long, loud and earnest that 
“‘God would come down now, bless, save and sanc- 
tify the mourners.” 

Clyde sat with his head resting in his hands, and 
when the prayer was ended the preacher looked at 
him and said : 

“Brother, do you want to be saved?” 


152. FROM THE THROTTLE TOTHE/THRONL. 

“Yes, sir,” said the young engineer. 

“Why did you not kneel at the altar and let 
us pray for you?” continued the preacher. 

“Because,” said Clyde, “I am a believing penitent 
sinner. I have come to you to be instructed in the 
way of righteousness. I am anxious to be a Chris- 
tian, but I want to follow the gospel plan. I have 
read the New Testament, but I have failed to find 
the place where you get your authority for asking 
these people to come to the altar, be prayed for and 
to pray. I feel sure that there is such a passage 
some where that teaches it, or you would not have 
asked us to come, but I can not be hypocritical in 
what I do. Will you please take this little book 
and mark the place where Jesus, His Apostles, 
Evangelists or any other New Testament character 
ever asked a sinner to come to the altar to pray or 
have others to pray for them, in order that God 
would pardon their sins?” said Clyde, as he took 
the New Testament from his pocket and handed it 
to the preacher. 

“You can’t find it in so many words, but — ” said 
the minister, as he reluctantly took the book. 

“If you can not find it in so many words, will 
you mark the chapter and verse where the thought 
is inferred? I am anxious to read it,” continued 
Clyde. 

"Yes, turn to the eighth chapter of Acts and read 
the twenty-second verse, v/here Peter told Simon to 
pray that the thought of his heart might be for- 
given him,” said the minister, as an expression of 
victory settled over his face. 

“I remember that passage,” said Clyde, “but 
Simon was a believer and had been baptized, and 
afterwards sinned by trying to buy the power of 
God. I understand this to be the law of pardon to 


A NEW RESOLUTION. 153. 

the erring Christian, but not to the alien sinner like 
me.” 

. “You can't believe on Jesus and be an alien sin- 
ner, too. Such a doctrine as that, would make His 
words untrue, listen to what He says: ‘He that be- 
lieveth on the Son hath everlasting life.’ If you 
believe on Jesus, you have everlasting life, and if 
not, you can not see life. Let us pray for you, 
brother, that God may come and wonderfully save 
you from sin,” said the minister, as he closed the 
book and returned it to Clyde. 

“I am more than willing to be saved and I will 
kneel at the altar, pray and ask you to pray for 
me, just as soon as you turn to and mark the pass- 
age in the New Testament, that commands me to 
bow at this altar and authorizes you to intercede 
in my behalf,” continued Clyde, as he offered the 
book to the preacher the second time. 

“Jesus said: ‘He that believeth on the Son, hath 
everlasting life.’ Do you believe what He said?” 
continued the preacher, excitedly. 

“Yes, sir,” said Clyde calmly, “I believe all that 
He said and that is the reason I do not believe 
your teaching. Jesus said: ‘Except ye repent, ye 
shall all likewise perish.’ According to your ser- 
mon today, we can be saved, whether we repent or 
not, just so we have faith. Your teaching is out of 
harmony with that of Peter, Paul, James and 
Jesus. Peter said to the three thousand Pente- 
costians, whom he had commanded to repent and 
be baptized for the remission of sins, to ‘Save your- 
selves from this untoward generation.’ According 
to your doctrine, you would have said to Peter, 
that repentance and baptism were works of men, 
and have nothing to do with securing our salvation, 
much less being for the remission of sins, and as 


154. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

to their saving themselves, you would have told 
him that such a thought was, ‘Absurd, unreason- 
able and uncriptural,’ but it is all by faith alon^e. 
Paul said to the Romans : ‘But God be thanked, 
that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed 
from the heart that form of doctrine which was de- 
livered unto yOu. Being then made free from sin,, 
ye became the servants of righteousness.’ But ac- 
cording to your sermon today, had you been there 
you would have said to Paul: ‘Not so, the Romans 
were not made free from sin when they obeyed that 
form of doctrine. Their obedience had nothing to 
do with their salvation, but they were saved by 
faith alone, and that, too, before they ever obeyed 
anything.’ If James were here this morning, he 
would say to you : ‘But wilt thou know, O vain 
man, that faith without works is dead?’ But you 
would withstand him to his face and say : ‘The 
faith alone doctrine has cheered the lonely, com- 
forted the sorrowing and saved the dying,’ and if 
he were to be persistent and say: ‘Faith, if it hath, 
not works is dead, being alone,’ then in order to 
offset this last quotation, you would bring forth 
your church discipline and read : “Salvation by 
faith only is a most wholesome doctrine and very 
full of comfort.’ And when you had yielded this last 
and powerful blow, you would stand like a mighty 
David, look down upon the fallen Goliaths, then 
turn and praise the faith alone doctrine. At last 
when Jesus would come and say: ‘Not every one 
that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the 
Kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of 
my Father which is in heaven,’ you would fall at 
His feet and say : Master, we can’t do anything to 
save ourselves. Doing the will of God has nothing 
to do with our acceptance with Him, but it is- all 


A NEW RESOLUTION. 


155 . 


hy faith alone. ‘If it were possible for me to pull 
back the heavy veil, swing open the golden gates 
and bring heaven down to earth, methinks we could 
hear angels shouting this doctrine from one end of 
its sweet dome to the other, while multiplied mil- 
lions of God’s redeemed, would rise as one mighty 
body and testify to the truthfulness of this Divine 
theory.’ ” 

“Clyde stepped upon the rostrum, looked over 
the audience and in a clear full voice said : 

“Ladies and gentlemen, I am a believing peni- 
tent sinner. Like the Pentecostians, I am asking 
what I must do? Your worthy and scholarly minis- 
ter tells me that I can’t do anything. I believe on 
Jesns, but still I am not saved. I promised my 
sister, whom I left to comfort and care for my aged 
'and invalid mother, almost a year ago, that I would 
take the Bible and read it, and if there is any con- 
sistency in its teaching, if any harmony in its con- 
struction, if it makes plain the way of life, I would 
endeavor to learn it, and just as soon as I knew my 
duty to God, I would do it. I came here today 
thinking that I could learn the way of life and sal- 
vation. Mr. H. has preached a very eloquent ser- 
mon on how the sinner is saved. I will admit that 
from his standpoint, the sermon is an able one. 
AVhen he announced his sermon, my heart leaped 
for joy and I could hardly wait until he got through 
with the first division of his subject, so anxious was 
I to learn the way of truth and salvation. He very 
eloquently, logically and scripturally showed us, 
that as a consequence of Adam’s transgression, all 
men have become sinners and fallen short of the 
glory of God. He then asked the question : 

“Can the law save the unregenerated or sinful 
man? In answer to this question, he affirmed that 


156 FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

it could not. To prove his statement, he gave a 
few quotations relative to the Law of Moses, but 
failed to discriminate between that law and the 
gospel of Christ. He did not tell us that Jesus abol- 
ished the Law of Moses when He died upon the 
cross. He did not tell us that Jesus took away the 
first, that He may establish the second. He did not 
tell us that the first law, the law that could not take 
away sins, the law that Jesus abrogated when He 
died on the cross, was the law of sin and death. He 
did not tell us that our Saviour, when He took 
away the law of sin and death, established in its 
stead, the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus. 
Neither did he tell us that the law of the spirit of 
life in Christ Jesus, can make us free from the law 
of sin and death. As I understand the ' Bible, 'the 
Law of Moses could never take away sin, or make 
the comers thereunto perfect, but Jesus abolished 
that law by nailing it to the cross and established 
in its stead His own gospel, which is the power of 
God unto salvation to every one that believeth, and 
it will make free from sin, every soul who will bow 
in humble obedience to its Divine commandments. 
This position is in perfect harmony with that of 
Paul’s when he said : 'For the law made nothing 
perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did ; by 
which we draw nigh unto God.’ David, speaking 
by inspiration, said: 'The law of the Lord is per- 
fect, converting the soul.’ Mr. H. asked : 

" 'Can he (the unregenerated man) do anything 
to merit, or in any way, aid in securing his own 
salvation?’ He affirms that he cannot. Is he 
right? Let us hear what Jesus says on this ques- 
tion : 'Not every one that saith unto me. Lord, 
Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but 
he that doeth the will of my Father which is in 


A NEW RESOLUTION 


157 . 


heaven/ According to what Jesus says, a man^s 
entering into heaven depends on something that he 
does, but according to what Mr. H. says, doing 
the will of God has nothing to do with his accept- 
ance with God, but that it is all by faith alone. To 
whom is Jesus the author of eternal salvation? Let 
us have Paul answer this question for us. Listen 
to his own words : ‘And being made perfect. He 
(Christ) became the author of eternal salvation to 
all them that obey Him/ Then He is the author 
of eternal salvation to those that believe and obey 
Him, and not to those who believe only. On whom 
will Christ take vengeance? On those that do, or 
those that do not obey the gospel? Let us have 
Paul’s answer to this question also, hear his words: 
‘And to you who are troubled rest with us, when 
the Lord shall be revealed from heaven with His 
mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on 
them that know not God, and that obey not the 
gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.’ What will be- 
come of those that do not know God and obey ngt 
the gospel ? Let Paul go on with his answer and he 
will tell us : ‘Who shall be punished with everlast- 
ing destruction from the presence of the Lord, and 
from the glory of His power.’ Peter said:' ‘Save 
yourselves from this untoward generation,’ and 
Paul says: ‘Work out your own salvation with fear 
and trembling,’ but Mr. H. would say: ‘Peter, you 
and Paul are both wrong; you cannot save your- 
selves or work out your own salvation either. You 
can’t do anything to merit, or even aid in securing 
your own salvation, but it is all by faith alone.’ My 
friends, Mr. H. stands as a lone representative of 
the faith alone theory and has the combined and 
unimpeachable testimonies of the Bible, Peter, Paul 
James and our Lord Jesus Christ arrayed against 


158. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

his unsupported word. Which must we believe? I 
know not what course others may pursue, but as 
for me, I prefer to pick up my sacred Bible and 
say : ‘Speak, Lord, and I will hear.’ 

“Ladies and gentlemen,” he continued, “I am 
anxious to be a Christian and will be just as soon 
as I learn the way of life, but until I can have a 
‘Thus saith the Lord’ for every position I take, I 
shall remain as I am. In the presence of God and 
these people, I now raise my hand and pledge my- 
self to wage everlasting and unrelenting war upon 
human creeds and man-made doctrines. I shall 
resolve, from this time on, to take the Bible as my 
only discipline, Christ as my only creed, do what 
He says do, be what He says be and go where He 
says go.” 

“This congregation is dismissed,” said Mr. H., 
as he picked up his hat and coat and started towards 
the front door. 

The young lady and Clyde started home, and as 
they slowly ascended the steep mountain side. Miss 
Silvey said : 

“Mr. Newman, I am sadly disappointed in our 
trip today.” 

“May I ask why?” said Clyde. 

“I had prayed that you might see the light today 
and become a Christian. But as it is, I am all 
broken up in mind and I am half inclined to doubt 
the truthfulness of the position I occupy in reli- 
gious matters,” said the young lady. 

“I am disappointed, possibly, more so than you 
^ are. I thought that if any man knew the scripture, 
that man did. But, Miss Silvey, if you will promise 
to join me in my new resolution, I shall feel as 
though this is the happiest hour of my life,” said 
the young engineer, as he took the young lady’s 


A NEW RESOLUTION. 


159 . 

hand in his. 

“What new resolution, may I ask?’’ said ^liss 
Si Ivey. 

“To take the Bible as our only discipline, Christ 
as our only creed, do what He says do, be what He 
says be and go where He says go,” continued the 
young man. 

“I will,” said the young lady, as she turned her 
lovely face towards Clyde’s. Both agreed that they 
would denounce all human creeds and man-made 
doctrines, and accept the Bible as their guide 
through life, they went hand in hand across the 
mountain, happy in the thought that the only bar- 
rier, which had heretofore divided their lives, had 
been removed. 


160. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 


CHAPTER XII. 

CHANGED BY DEATH. 

'‘Who is there?” came the words of Mr. W., in. 
response to light gentle raps on his bed room door,, 
which aroused him from his midnight slumber. 

“It is I,” said Miss Silvey, as she stood shiver- 
ing in the cold hall. 

“What do you want?” inquired her uncle. 

“Nellie is sick, and she wants you and Aunt Sarah 
to come into her room,” said the young lady, as 
she hurried back to the little girl’s bed. 

Her uncle and Mrs. W. rose, hastily dressed 
themselves and went to their little daughter’s sleep- 
ing apartment. 

“What is the matter with Nellie?” asked her fath- 
er, as he placed his hand upon her small face, that 
was almost burning up with fever, and looked down 
into her lovely brown eyes, which were dotted with 
small blood red spots. 

“I don’t know, papa, my side and head hurt, and 
I am almost burning up. Can’t you make me cool- 
er. papa?” said the little girl, as she pushed the» 
cover off her small arms and breast. 

“You must cover up, and you will be all right by 
morning,” said her mother, as she spread the blank- 
ets and tucked them around her shoulders. 

“Oh, I am so sick,” said the little girl, as she 
gripped her hands firmly over her forehead. 

“We had better telephone for Doctor Brown to* 
come at once, had we not, uncle?” asked Miss Sil^ 
vey, excitedly. 


161 . 


CHANGED BY DEATH 

“Yes, you may call him and I will watch and 
keep the cover on her,” said Mr. AV. 

Miss Silvey hurried to the telephone and notified 
the doctor, who lived but two miles away, to come 
at once. 

“What did he say?” asked Mr. W. of his niece, 
as she returned to the room where the sick girl 
was. 

“Mrs. Brown said the doctor would be here in a 
short time,” said the young lady, as she kneeled 
down by the bed and took her cousin’s little hot 
hand in her’s. 

“Oh, uncle !’’ she exclaimed, as she looked at Mr. 
W., while her eyes filled with tears. 

“Don’t get her excited,'” said her aunt, “I fear she 
is dangerously ill.” 

The little girl turned her face from the wall and 
fell into a light sleep. Mr. W. sat on the side of 
the bed, and held the blankets over her shoulders 
and looked into the flushed face of his suffering 
child, while the long morning hours dragged by. 

“Whoa,” came the words from the outside, as the 
sound of horses’ feet and that of buggy wheels were 
heard breaking through the thin crust of the frozen 
snow. 

“There is the doctor now,” said Miss Silvey, as 
she tipped lightly across the floor, into the hall and 
opened the front door. , 

“Good morning. Miss Silvey, what is the matter 
here; is little Nellie sick?” asked the doctor, as he 
stepped into the hall and began to remove his fur 
coat and cap. 

“Yes, sir; Nellie is sick and is suffering so much. 
I fear — ” said the young lady in a trembling voice,, 
as her eyes filled with tears. 

“Why, is she very bad?” asked the doctor. 


162. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 


“Yes, sir, we think so. I can’t help but believe 
that a few days more will end her suflfering,” con- 
tinued the young lady. 

“Good morning,” continued the doctor, as he 
walked into the sick room. 

“Good morning,” said Mr. W., in a low voice. 

“What is the matter with my little girl this^ 
morning?” asked the doctor, as he pulled a chair up- 
to the bedside, sat down and felt of the little girl’s 
pulse. He raised his head and looked for a moment 
into the closed eyes and slightly parted lips, and 
placed his hand upon the burning brow of the little 
girl, who was laying, breathing quick and laborious- 
ly before him. He shook his head doubtfully, pulled 
a leather covered case from his vest pocket, from 
which he took a small fever thermometer and gent- 
ly inserted it into her half opened mouth. 

“Ugh,” shuddered the little girl, as she opened' 
her eyes, which were becoming more glossy each 
hour, looked the doctor in the face, then turned to- 
her father and in a low whispering voice asked : 

“Who is that man?” 

“Why, dear, this is Mr. Brown, your doctor.. 
Don't you know him?” said her father. 

“Xo, I have been dreaming,” she said faintly. 

“What have you been dreaming?” asked Miss Sil- 
vey. 

”Oh, I want to tell papa, when we are all alone,”' 
she continued, as she closed her weary eyes. 

“vMiss X'ellie knows who I am. She is going to- 
get well and go home with me,” said the doctor, as 
he reached for the thermometer and began to read 
it. 

“No,” she said, as she opened her eyes and threw 
her arms from under the cover. 

“What, don’t you like me any more?” asked the- 
doctor. 


CHANGED BY DEATH. 


1G3. 


‘‘Yes, I like you and everybody, but I like Jesus 
•the best and He loves me, too,” she said, as she 
looked towards Heaven, while a bright sweet smile 
settled over her fever parched brow. 

“I know,” said the doctor, “that you like every- 
body and that Jesus loves you, but that will not 
keep you from going home with me and being my 
o'irl, will it?” 

“Yes, I am going home with Jesus and be His 
.girl and He will not let me be sick any more,” she 
said cheerfully. 

When these last words fell upon Mr. W.’s ears, 
his heart heaved within him, his lips trembled and 
turned to an ashy white, his eyes melted to tears, 
as he turned, walked into his room and half mut- 
tering to himself, said : 

”Oh, if my darling little girl, who is the light 
of my home and the joy and idol oj my heart, does 
not get well. What could I ever do without her? 
Oh, I never, never can spare her from my bosom.” 
He threw himself across the bed and wept until the 
pillow was wet with his tears. ^ 

“ ‘Going home with Jesus to be His girl.’ Oh, 
for the faith of my angeled child. If the Bible is 
true, if there is a God, a Christ and a heaven, my 
sweet precious little girl will go to that world of joy 
-and be with the white-twinged messengers of God. 
If she dies, I want to die, too, but oh, could I meet 
her there, or where would I go?” said the con- 
:science-stricken man, as he sprang from his bed. 
walked into his daughter’s room, stood and looked 
down into the little sufferers face. Again hot 
scalding tears gushed from his eyes, he turned, 
walked to the window, looked out through the frost- 
ed panes to the tall snow-wrapped mountains and 
on to the brilliant stars, which looked like so many 


1C4. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

'millions of bright diamonds. 

"‘My own dear little Nellie will soon leave this 
•earth, and if death does not end all, if there is a life 
beyond the grave, the swift-winged messenger of 
death will soon fold his celestial pinions at the 
threshold of this sad home, silently cross the cliam- 
ber of death, pale her lovely cheeks, kiss down her 
eyes to that eternal rest, and with the sweet spirit 
of my own darling child, sweep above the mountains 
and on through the gates of gold, that she might 
shine as a brighter star in that world of joy and 
perpetual happiness, than any of them that deck 
and make beautiful, these heavens that bend down 
over us tonight,” he said, as he leaned against the 
sash and wept aloud. 

The doctor walked out into the hall and Mr. W. 
followed him. 

“How is she?” he asked. 

“[ fear,” said the doctor, “that death is inevitable, 
at any rate, we had better prepare for the worst. 
She has a complication of diseases working on her, 
but pneumonia is the immediate danger. One of her 
lungs is badly and the other slightly affected and her 
constitution, I fear, is not strong enough to battle with 
the disease until my medicine can assist nature to re- 
store her to health. 

Mr. W. reeled under the words of the doctor, and 
almost crazed with grief, said : 

“Oh, I can’t give her up. It would crush my heart 
and rob me of every joy and pleasure of this life. You 
must save her.” 

“I will spare no pains, but shall use all of my 
skill and utilize my efforts to the very limit of my 
ability to save her, but I can give you no encour- 
agement. The disease has the advantage of her 
now. Her pulsations are one hundred twenty, res- 


CHANGED BY DEATH. 


165 . 


pirations twenty-seven and her temperature one 
hundred four. It is my candid opinion that it is only 
a matter of a few days now. If you have any prom- 
ises to make her, you had better do it today ; tomor- 
row may be too late,” said the doctor, as he fas- 
tened his gaze upon the floor at his feet and walked 
slowly from one end of the wide hall to the other. 

“Any promises to make her, what — ?” said Mr. 
W., his lips paled, his heart heaved as he rushed 
up stairs into Clyde’s room. 

“Mr. Newman,” he called in an excited tone. 

“What is the matter, Mr. W., has something se- 
rious happened?” asked Clyde, as he instantly rose 
and sat up in the bed. 

“Nellie, my own darling Nellie is sick and the 
doctor has given her up. Oh, I .can never, never 
spare her from my bosom,” he said, as he fell across 
the bed at the young man’s feet. 

“Mr. W.,” said Clyde, as he sprang to the floor 
and began to dress himself, “as long as there is life 
there is hope.” 

“There is no hope now. She has given up all 
hopes of getting well and seems so contented to 
die. She says she is going home with Jesus to be 
His girl. Oh, Mr. Newman, I would give multi- 
plied millions of worlds like this, if I could only 
have the faith of my dear little girl, whose precious 
little soul is, this moment, preparing to bid farewell 
to us who are yet standing on the shores of time, 
to step aboard the ship of death and sail out upon 
eternity’s borderless ocean,” he said, as he buried 
his face in the pillows and cried, as when he was a 
child in his own mother’s arms. 

“Mr. W., it is hard to have to part with one who 
is as sweet, lovely and fair as .your own dear little 
Nellie, but let us be resigned and confide in the 


IGG. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

'words of Him who said 'Suffer little children to 
come unto me and forbid them not, for of such is 
the kingdom of heaven.’ How true and consoling 
to her now, are the words of David, when he said : 
'Though I walk through the valley of the shadow 
of death, I will fear no evil : for thou art with me ; 
thy rod and thy staff comfort me.’ Mr. W., in this 
the darkest and saddest hour of your life, you can 
have the consolation of knowing, that as she leaves 
your arms of failing flesh, she will be safely folded 
in the strong embrace and loving bosom of Him, 
who not only has the power to cool the fevered 
brow, break asunder the shackles of death, but who 
stands as a mighty refuge upon the margin of the 
eternal world and defies, even the decaying touch 
of the hoary hand of the unending ages,” said the 
young engineer, while the tears gushed from his 
eyes and washed down his broad massive face. 

“Mr. Newman, do you believe there is a God, such 
as the Bible reveals to us?” said Mr. W., as he 
partly raised from the bed, to rest upon his elbow. 

“Yes sir, I do,” said Clyde, firmly. 

“Do you believe that a God of love, mercy and in- 
finite goodness, would come and rob our home of 
its light and our hearts of our idol? Fallible hu- 
manity would not do that, much less an infallible 
God,” said Mr. W.. in a broken trembling voice. 

“Mr. W.,” said Clyde, “God does not rob you of 
your idol. Your little girl came into the world 
according to the laws of nature, God has given her 
a physical body in which to house and protect her 
spirit and when that physical body is no longer pre- 
pared to protect that spirit, her immortal soul will 
leave this tabernacle of flesh and take up its abode 
in that house that is not made with hands, but 
that is eternal in the heavens. Mr. W., you acted 
upon the same principle, when that old dilapidated 


CHANGED BY DEATH 


167 . 


building, some of the ruins of which are still stand- 
ing, was no longer adequate to shelter and pro- 
tect your family ; you moved out of it, into this- 
newer and better building. You never destroyed 
your old building in order to move your family, but 
when it had yielded to the crumbling touch of time’s^ 
wasting hand, you moved them, that they may not 
perish under its tumbling walls. So it is with God. 
He has not destroyed the fleshly house of your lit- 
tle girl, in order to rob it of the precious gem that 
it contains, but if the body is wrecked and de- 
stroyed, by reason of disease. He stands ready to 
receive and w’elcome her in that house that knows 
no decay. Mr. W., it pains our hearts to have to* 
part from one like little Nellie, but let us not w^eep 
as those who have no hope.” 

”As those that have no hope? Mr. Newman, what 
hope is there left for me?” 

“Jesus said: ‘He that believeth, though he were 
dead, yet shall he live.’ That is my hope. If the 
angels of God should call for little Nellie today, I 
would know that she still lives and that I will 
some day meet her in the paradise of God,” said 
Clyde, as he started down the broad stairs. 

“Though he were dead, yet shall he live. What 
can that mean?” thought ]\Ir. W., as he followed 
Clyde into the room where the sick girl was lying. 
He softly walked across to the bed, placed his hand' 
lightly upon his daughter’s head and asked: 

“How are vou, Nellie?” 

“Is that your hand, papa?” asked the little sufifer- 
er, as she opened her eyes and gazed into her 
father’s face. 

“Y^es, dear, I have come to see bow much better 
you are, since daylight has come,” said Mr. W., as^- 
iie stooped to kiss her almost burning face. 


168. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

“Papa, I have been wanting to see you, oh, so 
long, and I was afraid you would not come,’’ said 
the little girl, as she struggled for breath. 

“I am by your side, what do you want?” con- 
tinued her father. 

“I want to tell you my dream,” she said. 

“x\ll right, I will be glad to listen to you,” her 
father said, as he turned his face from her to hide his 
blinding tears. 

“I dreamed last night,” said the little girl in low 
broken tones, “that I was by the side of a narrow 
river where there were, oh, the most beautiful trees, 
grass and mansions of pure gold. I thought I saw 
millions of little girls and boys and men and women 
like you and mamma. .1 thought I saw Jesus and 
then I knew it was heaven. I looked up among the 
angels and saw mamma, Miss Silvey and Mr. New- 
man, but I could not find my papa. I thought I 
asked Jesus where you were and He said: ‘I know 
him not,’ and then I cried and I thought God came 
and wiped all my tears away. Papa, when I die and 
go to heaven to be one of God’s angels, will you love 
Jesus and come to me?” she said, as she threw her 
hands over her face and wept, as though her heart 
was breaking. 

“Mr. W. rose, stood for a moment and looked 
through his blinding tears at the little girl, whose 
poor heart was tossing like a broken reed in a 
stormswept ocean, but was unable to speak. He 
turned, walked into his room, sat down in his 
comifortable chair and wept, while the great battle, 
between giving up all hopes of meeting his daugh- 
ter beyond the grave and his long cherished ideas 
of infidelity, raged in hiS' heart. 

The days passed slowly by and little Nellie grew 
weaker, until one bitter cold evening. Doctor Brown 


CHANGED AT DEATH. 


169 . 


called the family into the hall and said : 

“Nellie’s fever is getting higher and she is rapidly 
sinking, but is conscious yet. It is only a matter 
of a few hours with her now.” 

Mrs. W. almost fainted when she heard this sad 
intelligence. ]Miss Silvey and Clyde led the heart- 
broken women to her room and placed her on the 
bed. Mr. W. wiped the tears from his face, walked 
into the little girTs room, stooped down, pressed 
his quivering lips to her's and in a trembling voice 
said : 

“Nellie, the doctor tells me that you are dying.” 

The little girl, notwithstanding tne raging fever 
which was burning upon her sweet tender face and 
threatening every moment to rush in and with its 
fiery tongue consume her aching brain, raised her 
eyes for the last time to look into the face of her 
grief-stricken father and said : 

“I know that better than the doctor does.” 

“Nellie,” said her father, as his head almost fell 
upon her neck, “don’t you want to stay here with 
me?” 

“Papa, I love you, but I am going to live with 
Jesus, and I want you to come to us,” she said, as 
she closed her small thin fingers down upon his, 
kissed his tear-stained face, shut her eyes, sank into 
unconsciousness and breathed but a few moments 
longer, then ceased. Her earthly pilgrimage was 
ended, her sufferings had ceased, her little soul had 
swept out of its tenement of clay and she had gone 
home to be with Jesus and repose upon the bosom 
of His Father. 

“She is gone,’' said the doctor. 

]\Ir. raised the lifeless form m his strong 
arms, pressed it to his bosom, kissed it the last 
time, laid it down upon the bed, raised his eyes 


170. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

towards heaven, as if to gaze after the angel that 
^had winged her precious soul away, and said : 

“She is gone. I can’t call her back, but thanks 
be to that God who consoled my darling in her 
-dying hour, I can go to her.” 

The next day at ten o’clock a white hearse drawn 
by white horses, stopped at the gate of the old 
-mansion and six young ladies, dressed in colors to 
suit, carried a little white casket from the death 
-chamber and placed it in the waiting hearse. Mr. 
W., and wife, with Miss Silvey and Clyde close be- 
-hind them, followed the pallbearers to the gate and 
got into a two-seated carriage. The little funeral 
procession, which consisted of the family and two or 
more dozen sympathizing friends, started to the 
cemetery, near the old McMullen chapel. The pro- 
v^cession wound its way around the steep mountain 
sides and through the drifted snow, until they came 
to an open grave in the little church yard. The 
casket was taken from the hearse and placed upon 
the stilts near the fresh dug grave. 

x\fter the local minister had offered a prayer and 
made a short talk, the church choir had finished 
singing “Nearer My God to Thee,” and the sexton 
was preparing to lower the casket into the grave, 
Mr. W. rose, stood for a moment, looked over the 
•small crowd of sympathizers, raised his eyes, looked 
over the snow-covered mountains and on into the 
deep blue sky. He wiped the tears from his eyes, 
looked down into the little casket and said : 

“Friends, I am broken-hearted. The light of our 
''home has gone out, and the idol of our hearts has 
been plucked from our bosom. We will return to 
our home, but it will never be what it once was. 
Heretofore, when I would return from the day’s 
Hoil, little Nellie would be the first to greet me, but 


CHANGED AT DEATH. 


171 . 


now, instead of her smiling face and sweet voice^. 
it will be a vacant chair and an empty home. The 
prattle of her little feet will be heard no more, and, 
her merry song has been hushed forever. A night 
that knows no breaking this side of the grave, has 
settled down over our hearts. While it is sad to 
part from her today^ yet I thank Him who knows 
and does all things best that He has, given us this 
sweet life, whose length was measured out in six 
brief summers. She has done more for me than all 
the theologians, churches and Bibles on earth. I 
have been an honest doubter, or what the world, 
calls an infidel, but her dear sweet life and calm 
peaceful death, have convinced me that there is a 
God, a Christ and I know the Bible is true. Today 
I weep, but not as one who doubts the truth. L 
mourn, but not as those who have no hope in 
Christ. While my eyes are dimmed with tears, my 
body is bent down in sorrow and my heart is torn 
with grief, yet I would not give the sweet peace 
that comes to my soul, even in this dark hour, for 
ill the honor, wealth and power that the world can 
give. While the very comfort and idol of my 
heart has been torn from my breast and is now 
ready to be covered up in the bosom of the snow- 
covered earth, and while I know I can never bring 
her back, yet I can say in the words of him of old 
that I know I can go to her. 

‘‘She asked me to meet her in the City of God, 
but I did not promise. Oh, could I call her back for 
a moment, I would fall at her precious little feet,, 
and tell her that her papa will meet her in the 
skies. But it is too late now, she has gone up yon- 
der. But I pray that God’s good angels will tell my 
darling that I will be there. 

“A\diile her death has made our home darker and 


172. FROM THE THROTTLETO THE THRONE. 


earth poorer, it has made eternity brighter and 
the City of God richer. A sweeter soul never swept 
through the gates of gold, a fairer face was never 
lifted above the battlements of heaven and lovelier 
eyes never looked down through the windows of the 
sky, than hers.” 

Mr. W.’s eyes filled with tears, his heart swelled, 
his lips quivered and he could- say no more. He 
kneeled between the open grave and closed casket 
and silently prayed that God would grant him a 
happy reunion with his darling child in that world 
to which she had already gone. The casket was 
lowered, and soon nothing but a small mound was 
left to mark the spot where his loved one sleeps, 
and he returned to his home, comforted with the 
thought : that they who believe in the Son of God, 
though they be dead, yet shall they live again. 


FULFILLING HIS PROMISE. 


173.. 


CHAPTER XIII. 

Fulfilling His Promise. 

“Uncle,” said Miss Silvey, as she and Clyde- 
stepped into the room where Mr. W. and his wife 
were sitting, “would you and aunt Sarah like to 
join us in our endeavor to learn just what God 
would have us do to be saved Mr. Newman and I 
have agreed to lay aside all human confessions and 
man-made doctrines, accept Christ as our only 
creed, the Bible as our only discipline, do what 
Jesus says do, be what he says be and go where 
he says go. Mr. Newman has been studying the 
Bible for more than six months and is now thor- 
oughly prepared to teach us the way of life and 
holiness.” 

“I assure you Miss Silvey,” said her uncle, as he 
offered her and the young engineer chairs, “that we 
will be pleased to join you in such a worthy under- 
taking, as the one in which you are about to en- 
gage, and we will feel ourselves very fortunate to 
be counted as pupils of one who is as strong in ar- 
gument and efficient in Bible knowledge as Mr. 
Newman. Heretofore, this room has been dedicated 
to infidelity and all of my time has been spent in 
the advocacy of its false claims. Tom. Paine’s ‘Age 
of Reason’ has taken the place of the Bible. But 
the so-called ‘Age of Reason’ has been committed 
to the flames, this room is now dedicated to the 
Lord, its walls have been made sacred by the pres- 
ence of the Bible and henceforth, all of my energy 
will be utilized in extending the borders of the- 


174. FROM THE THROTTLETO THE THRONE. 


Kingdom of Christ. We are anxious to learn the 
road to eternal life, that we may walk in that high- 
way which leads to the City of God. Jesus said: 
‘For where your treasure is, there will your heart 
be also.’ Our precious little girl, our only teasure, 
is in heaven. She is at the gateway tonight, and 
her dear little hands are beckoning, while our lonely 
hearts are reaching out in their blind endeavor to 
grasp the truth by which God has promised to save 
His fallen race. We want to know the truth, and 
we shall regard it as a Godsend to us, to join you. 
in your investigation, and we will pray God that He 
will open our understandings that we may under- 
stand the scriptures.” 

Clyde sat down in a rocker, turned to face the 
trio and began by saying : 

“I feel as though you have done me too much 
honor by selecting me as your teacher. I am aware 
of my incompetency to act in such an honorable 
capacity, but if my humble service will be of any 
advantage to you, I shall claim no credit myself, 
but give God all the glory. I appreciate the inter- 
est you have taken in me and more especially that 
which you have manifested in the great work of 
understanding God’s truth. If the things pertain- 
ing to the Church of our Dear Lord and Master 
were so important to the world, as to call from 
heaven its brightest jewel, and cause the only be- 
gotten Son of God to give up His life upon a cross 
of shame, that sinful men might be saved by His 
blood, surely we can give a few moments of our 
time each evening to the study of those principles 
of which His church consists and that are destined 
to make pure every heart and correct every life. 

“It will be my purpose to give a brief history of 
the Kingdom of Christ, and determine, if possible,. 


FULFILLING HIS PROMISE. 175 . 

who may become citizens of that Institution, and 
upon what terms. I shall spare no time or pains 
to make this subject plain, but in order to present it 
in an intelligent way, it becomes necessary for me 
to ask, and by the aid of the prophets, John the 
Baptist, Christ and His Inspired Apostles, answer 
the following questions : 

“1st. Is there a church or a kingdom? 2nd. If 
so, who was its founder? 3rd. Upon what or when 
was it founded? 4th. Where was it established? 
oth. When was it established? 6th. By what 
names did God call His church? 7th. By what 
names were the members of that Institution called? 
^th. Upon what conditions did God promise to 
^ave man? 

“In order to answer these questions, it is neces- 
isary to examine the Holy Scriptures. There is no 
other source to which we can go, to get any infor- 
mation bearing upon them. While the Bible is the 
only book that will help us out here, yet it is suf- 
ficient. Paul says : ‘All scripture is given by inspira- 
tion of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for re- 
proof, for correction, for instruction in righteous- 
ness, that the man of God may be perfect, thorough- 
ly furnished unto all good works.’ 

“Ist. Is there a church or a kingdom? This ques- 
tion need not consume much of our time, for no 
doubt, nearly all Bible readers will admit that God 
has an organized goveri^ment upon earth, but for 
fear there might be a ‘doubting Thomas’ I will quote 
two passages of scripture that will make plain this 
point. Jesus said, just a short time before His 
crucifixion : ‘Upon this rock I will build my church, 
and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.’ 
Luke, in recording the events that took place on 
the first Pentecost after Christ’s resurrection, said: 


176. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

"^The Lord added to the church daily, such as should 
be saved.’ From the words of Jesus we learn that 
the church was not yet in existence, but that it was 
His purpose to build it upon the truth which Peter 
confessed, and from those of Luke we learn that the 
church on earth was not only complete, but that its 
door was swung open and thousands of souls were 
pouring into the Kingdom of God’s dear Son, 

'‘2nd. Who was its founder? The Church of 
Christ is a Divine Institution, and therefore we must 
-look for its founder to be no less so. A man may 
be the founder of a school, college or lodge, but he 
can never be the founder of the Church of Christ. 
All human organizations or institutions are found- 
ed by men, and all organizations and institutions 
founded by men, are human. Jesus Christ is the 
founder of His Church. Hear His own words : 
'Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my 
church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against 
it.’ Any institution to be the Church of Christ, 
must neither know nor recognize any founder but 
the Lord Jesus Christ, and must be Apostolic in 
•origin, doctrine and practice. 

"3rd. Upon what or whom was it founded? The 
first thing necessary in the erection of a building, 
is to secure a solid foundation. A structure cannot 
be stronger than that upon which it is built. The 
foundation must be strong and durable, in order to 
protect that under which it stands, from the storms 
and floods of the coming ages. But in this world 
there is no foundation that will stand the test of 
time, much less eternity. Though men may em- 
ploy the best of skilled workmen and as good ma- 
terial as money will buy, they may dig down in the 
earth and build great walls and monuments upon 
the solid rock, but as the years go by, the founda' 


FULFILLING HIS RESOLUTION. 177. 

Jtions begin to crumble and the wasting hand of 
time laughs at every feeble human effort, wrecks 
all the works of man and leaves them but a heap 
of ruins, to mark the place where stately walls and 
proud cities once stood, and still the ceaseless 
cycles of the ages roll on. Look at ancient Egypt. 
Where are her great pyramids, which was the pride 
of the Pharaoh’s vain hearts? Look at ancient China. 
Where is her strong wall, that stretched twelve hun- 
dred miles around her northern border? They are 
there. Yes, but slowly and surely wasting away un- 
der the never abating storms of time, and as they 
stand there today in their crumbling and decaying 
condition, they demonstrate to our minds, the unde- 
niable fact, that everything in this life is transitory 
and that earth can furnish us nothing upon which 
we can build our hopes for eternity. Who is the 
foundation of the church and upon whom can we 
build our hopes for life everlasting? Let us turn to 
God’s sacred Book and hear what His Holy 'Proph- 
ets say. 

“When man transgressed the law of God in the 
Garden of Eden, Jehovah looked beyond Egypt, be- 
yond China, beyond the Jewish age and said : T will 
set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed.’ 
Could such a kingdom be founded by man? Could 
a man be the foundation of such a kingdom? No, it 
would be like building a palace of marble upon a 
foundation of sand. The one upon whom the 
Church of God is founded, must be as divine, as dur- 
able, as firm and as eternal as the church itself. 
Where shall we look for such an one? Let us hear 
Isaiah: “Therefore thus saith the Lord, behold, I lay 
in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a 
precious corner stone, a sure foundation : he that be- 
lieveth shall not make haste.’ That stone which 


178. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONL. 


God laid in Zion is Christ. Paul says: 'According 
to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a 
wise master builder, I have laid the foundation, and 
another buildeth thereon. But let every man take 
heed how he buildeth thereon. For other founda- 
tions can no man lay, than that is laid, which is 
Jesus Christ.’ Again the same writer says: 'More- 
over, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignor- 
ant, how that all of our fathers were under the 
cloud, and all passed through the sea ; and were all 
baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 
and did all eat the same spiritual meat ; and did all 
drink the same spiritual drink : for they drank of 
that Spiritual Rock that followed them, and that 
Rock was Christ.’ How beautifully this corresponds 
with the words of our Saviour, when His Apostle 
confessed that Jesus was the Christ the Son of the 
living God, and He told Peter that He would build 
His Church upon ‘This Rock,’ which was the truth 
that he confessed. 

“Isaiah said that the foundaeion must be a tried 
stone. Jesus was the stone and He could never be 
laid as a sure and firm foundation stone, until He 
was thoroughly tried. He had to be tried by Satan 
and every power and resource of death and the 
grave in order to prove Himself superior to every 
enemy of both God and man. x\ccordingly He un- 
derwent all of these sore trials and thus proved to 
the world that He was able to overcome the temp- 
tations under which man fell by living a life that 
was absolutely sinless, and that He was stronger 
than the very Prince of darkness himself, by march- 
ing out alone upon the field of conflict to meet Satan 
and contest His rights for the souls of men, and 
while He was faint with hunger and fatigued with 
His long journey, fought one of the greatest battles 


FULFILLING HIS PROMISE. 179. 

and won the greatest victory, that was ever carried 
fro mthe field of battle by a triumphant general. 
He had to overcome His enemies, before He could 
be laid as a sure, tried and precious foundation stone 
upon which the children of men could build their 
faith and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 
In the wilderness He passed under the hammer of 
temptation, wielded by the strong arm of Satan, and 
successfully succeeded in resisting his every blow. 
He was tempted in like manner as we are, in the 
lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye and pride of 
life. In the wilderness the attack was through the 
lust of the flesh, on the mountain, it was through 
the lust of the eye, and on the temple, the appeal 
was through the pride of life. In all of these trials, 
Jesus stood as a mighty warrior, warded oflf all the 
insidious attacks of Satan and drove the world’s 
greatest enemy from the field of conflict. He was 
tried by death and the grave, but He shattered the 
powers of death and burst the bars of the tomb. He 
was then ready to be laid as a tried and sure foun- 
dation for His Kingdom, which was to last for- 
ever. Paul said He was declared to be the Son of 
God, by the resurrection from the dead. 

‘‘4th. Where was the Church Christ established? 
When we know where an institution was estab- 
lished, often it helps us to understand its nature and 
terms of membership. If it was established in 
China, Africa or some other country where Christ 
and His gospel are not known, we would not look 
for the Spirit and teaching of our Lord to be con- 
tained in it, or would we go to the Bible to find 
the conditions upon which we may become mem- 
bers? If an institution is established in England, 
Germany or America, and its place and date of 
origin cannot be traced beyond either of these 


180. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 


places, we could not expect it to be Divine. It may 
embrace a great many of the principles that Jesiis 
taught, but in the main it is human and cannot be 
the church that He purchased with His own blood. 
We have already seen that Jesus is the great archi- 
tect of His own Kingdom. He said : ‘Upon this 
Rock I will build my Church.’ Therefore, we must 
look to Him to tell us where He established His 
Church. It was not established in England or the 
United States, for nowhere in the New Testament 
do we read where Jesus was ever in the King’s 
Dominion or where He ever placed His foot upon 
Columbia’s fair soil, therefore all churches that have 
had their beginning in either of these countries must 
be passed by, because they are of human origin and 
cannot be the Church of Christ. I do not mean to 
say that all congregations in this and other coun- 
tries are of human origin, or that they are not 
Churches of Christ by virtue of them being in oth- 
er countries than that in which Jesus lived while 
here on earth. Such a position would defeat God’s 
eternal purpose. The gospel of Christ is broad in 
its scope. Jesus said: ‘Go ye into all the world and 
preach the gospel to every creature.’ It is God’s 
will that none should perish, but that all should 
come to repentance. The gospel has been preached 
in every nation and churches have been planted 
in almost every country under the sun. These 
organizations can be recognized as Churches of 
Christ, providing they are like the one Jesus estab- 
lished, in name, doctrine and practice. It is God’s 
purpose that churches be established in every vil- 
lage, city, country and nation under heaven; but 
in order for them to be Churches of Christ they 
must reject all human names, creeds and man-made 
doctrines. 


FULFILLING HIS PROMISE. 181. 

“Where was the Church of Christ established? 
In order to locate the exact country or city in 
which the Kingdom of God had its beginning, we 
will turn to the Prophets and see where Jehovah’s 
Holy Seers said the Church of the First Born 
should begin on earth. About seven hundred years 
before the birth of Christ, Isaiah said: ‘And it 
shall come to pass in the last days, that the moun- 
tain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the 
top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above 
the hills ; and all nations shall flow unto it. And 
many people shall go and say, come ye, and let us 
go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house 
of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His 
ways, and we will walk in His paths : for out of 
Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the 
Lord from Jerusalem.’ From the words of this 
major prophet we learn that the word of the Lord 
was not to go forth from England, Germany or 
America, but his prophetical gaze rested upon the 
Holy' City, Jerusalem, and he said: From here 
shall ‘the word of the Lord go forth.’ 

“Immediately after Jesus rose from the dead He 
gave the aspostles the world-wide commission, 
saying: ‘Thus it is written, and thus it behooved 
Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead on the 
third day; and that repentance and remission of 
sins should be preached in His name among all na- 
tions, beginning at Jerusalem.’ We see from these 
passages that Isaiah and our blessed Lord are 
agreed on Jerusalem being the place where the 
kingdom of God should first be established on earth. 
Isaiah calls it the going forth of the word of our 
Lord, and Christ calls it the beginning. 

“Again, just before Jesus ascended to heaven, He 
called His disciples about Him for the last time on 


182. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 


earth, and, after delivering His parting message,.. 
He commanded them that they should not depart 
from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the 
Father. At this juncture, He began to rise towards 
heaven. They watched with intense interest this 
strange phenomena and when He faded from their 
sight, they with sad hearts waited for the promised 
Comforter. His disciples had expected Him to set 
up a temporal kingdom, but he said : ‘My kingdom 
is not of this world.’ They had followed Him for 
three and a half years, in anxious expectation of 
seeing Him crowned king; they saw Him immersed 
by John; they saw Him heal all manner of disease; 
they saw Him arrested, condemned, and nailed to 
the cross; they saw Him placed in Joseph’s new 
tomb; they saw Him after He had burst the bars 
of death and broke the seal of the grave ; but they 
had never seen Him seated upon a temporal throne,, 
with a royal crown on His head and a sceptre in 
His hand. When He died He abolished the law 
of Moses. The veil of the Temple was rent from 
top to bottom ; the smoke from the sacrificial altars 
no longer ascended towards heaven ; no longer the 
innocent lambs must sufifer for the sins of the peo- 
ple, but the Lamb of God had made th^ offering 
once for all. The blessed Christ has ascended to 
His Father, the disciples were commanded to wait 
until they were commissioned from on high. The 
kingdom had not been restored to Israel, but, like 
Joseph of Arimathea, they were waiting for the 
kingdom of God. They continued to wait until 
Pentecost, and when that great day had fully come 
they were all with one accord in one place. And 
suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a 
rushing, mighty wind, and it filled all the house 
where they were sitting. And there appeared unto 


FULFILLING HIS PROMISE. 183 . 

Ihem cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon 
£ach of them. And they were all filled with the 
Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other ton- 
gues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.’ ‘Now, 
when this was noised abroad, the multitude came 
together,’ and Peter, having the keys of the king- 
dom, and guided by the Holy Spirit, began to 
preach to the people just as he was guided into all 
truth by the Spirit of God. He could then preach 
Jesus, he could preach His life, he could preach His 
death, he could preach His burial, he could preach 
His resurrection, he could preach His ascension, he 
‘could preach His glorification and carnation. ‘This 
Jesus hath God raised up, wherefore we are all wit- 
nesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God 
exalted and having received of the Father the 
promise of the Holy Ghost, He hath shed forth 
this, which ye now see and hear.’ 

“These things were all facts then, but before 
Jesus commanded His disciples to wait at Jerusa- 
iem they were not all facts. He could then preach 
Jesus as a tried foundation stone, tried by death 
'‘and declared to be the Son of God with power 
according to the Spirit of Holiness, by the resur- 
retcion from the dead.’ He could then preach Je- 
sus as the head of the body because of His resur- 
rection, ‘And He is the head of the body, the 
•church : who is the beginning, the firstborn from 
the dead : that in all things He might have pre- 
eminence.’ He could then preach Jesus as the King 
of His kingdom, because He had ascended to heaven 
and was crowned King of Kings and Lord of Lords. 
He could then preach Jesus as our great High Priest, 
because He had entered Heaven ‘By His own blood,’ 
‘having obtained eternal redemption for us.’ These 
things were all essential to the establishing of the new 


184. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 


and living way. 

“It was necessary that Jesus die that we be recon- 
ciled to God and it was necessary that He live again 
that we may be saved by His life. ‘For if when we 
were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death 
of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be 
saved by His life.’ It was necessary that He be glori- 
fied that the comforter may come, John said : But this 
spake He of the Spirit, which they that believed on 
Him should receive ; for the Holy Ghost was not yet 
given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.’ It 
was necessary that He enter Heaven by His own blood, 
in order to be our great High 'Priest, as He could not 
be a priest while on earth. 

“Isaiah and Jesus agree that Jerusalem is the be- 
ginning place. Paul calls this place the mother Of us 
all. Jesus commanded His disciples to wait there, and 
while they were in Jerusalem, they asked Jesus if He 
would restore the kingdom to Israel. If the church 
was then established, the Apostles did not know it. 
Note, before the Apostles came to Jerusalem, there 
was no church, but before they left, Luke says that 
‘God added to the church daily such as should be 
saved.’ ” 

“Thus we have seen that there is a church, that 
Jesus is both its founder and foundation, and that it 
was established in the city of Jerusalem. Tomorrow 
evening we will notice the question, ‘When was the 
church established ?’ ” continued the young engineer, 
as he rose, bade them good evening and retired for 
the night. , 


THE BEGINNING OF A GREAT KINGDOM. 


185 . 


CHAPTER XIV. 

the: beginning of a great kingdom. 

The dark mantle of night had settled down and 
draped itself about the tall mountains that stood lifting 
their barren peaks far above Mr. W.’s old mansion, 
when light foot falls were heard in the halls, which 
indicated that two persons were about to enter the 
lonely room whose only occupants were a broken- 
hearted father and mother. 

“Good evening, how are you and Aunt Sarah feel- 
mg to-night?” said Miss Silvey, as she and Clyde 
entered the room and closed the door behind them. 

“We are' feeling lonely, otherwise we are alright. 
We are anxious to hear Mr. Newman discuss the 
questionAhat he has promised to explain this evening,” 
said her uncle, as he added fresh fuel to the fire which 
was burning brightly on the hearth before them. 

“The question,” •said the young engineer, “that I 
promised to discuss this evening is : When was the 
Church of Christ established? This, like the other 
questions which we discussed last evening, comes to 
us freighted with much importance. It is not a ques- 
tion that has only divided God’s people, but it is a 
rock upon which many theological crafts have been 
dashed to pieces. There are a great many theories 
touching upon this question, four of which we will 
mention. 

“1st. Many good and honest people claim that the 
church had its beginning in an eternal covenant, which 
was entered into by God and His Son, before the 
foundation of the world. The advocates of this theory 
would have us believe that all of the elect are uncondi- 


186. FROM THE THRO'ITLE TO THE THRONE. 

tionally predestinated to eternal life and the non-elect 
are passed by or consigned to eternal misery. 

‘‘2nd. Some, who claim to understand God’s word, 
teach that the church of the First Born had its begin- 
ning on earth in the family of Abraham and that it 
was completed many hundreds of years before the 
birth of Christ. 

'‘3rd. Others teach that the church was set up and 
completed during the days of the ministry of John 
the Baptist. 

“4th. Still others teach that the church was estab- 
lished in the City of Jerusalem on the first Pentecost 
after the resurrection of Christ. 

“Thus we see that the time when the Kingdom of 
Christ was established, is an important matter, and 
when God’s people rightly understand this great 
question it will help to heal the wounds that have 
been inflicted on the body of Christ by the cruel hand 
of unscriptural divisions. It shall be our purpose to- 
night to learn which one, or if either of these theories 
have the Divine sanction. 

* “All who have a fair understanding of the Bible 
are aware of the fact that the kingdom is treated in 
this Book from two points of view as to the time of 
its beginning or place and time of its origin. It is 
treated prophetically and is thus viewed as being in 
the future, and it is spoken of historically and is re- 
garded as something already in existence. In the Bible 
there are to be seen two converging lines, each point- 
ing to the kingdom. One of these lines is prophetical, 
pointing forward to the kingdom, and the other his- 
torical, pointing backward to the kingdom. Isaiah and 
the other 'Prophets, by the spirit of inspiration, looked 
down the coming ages and saw the kingdom as it 
would be established in the future, and Paul and 
Peter standing many centuries this side of them,. 


THE BEGINNING OF A GREAT KINGDOM. 187. 

looked to the past and saw the kingdom as a fact, as 
.an institution that was actually in existence. Let us 
follow these two converging lines to their intersection 
;and locate the time and place where the eyes of the 
Prophets .and Apostles met and study the beginning and 
nature of the object of their gaze, the Kingdom of the 
Lord Jesus Christ. If possible, let us determine the 
place and time where the kingdom ceased to be re- 
.garded as prophetical, and began to be contemplated 
as historical. That act will locate the actual beginning 
of the church, and that being accomplished, every- 
thing else pertaining to it will be easy to solve and we 
can readily determine who may become citizens of this 
institution and upon what terms. 

“About six hundred years before the birth of Christ, 
Jeremiah looked down the unborn ages and when his 
prophetical vision rested upon the place and time where 
the kingdom of Christ was to be established, he ut- 
tered these words : ‘Behold the days come, saith the 
Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house 
of Israel, and with the house of Judah : not according 
to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the 
day that I took them by the hand to bring them out 
of the land of Egypt ; which my covenant they brake, 
although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord : 
but this shall be the covenant that I will make with the 
house of Israel; after those days, saith the Lord, I 
will put my law in their inward parts and write it in 
their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be 
my people. And they shall teach no more every man 
his neighbor, and every man his 'brother, saying know 
the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least 
of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord : for 
I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their 
sins no more.’ According to this remarkable language, 


188, PROxM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

we m':ist not go back to the day when God led his 
people out of the land of Egypt, or to any time previ- 
ous to that to find the covenant under which the Church 
of Christ was established. Note, this covenant was 
to be a new covenant, and to be unlike the one that 
God made with the Jews when he took them by the 
hand to lead them out of Egypt. 

“Jeremiah did not only live and speak this side of 
the days in which Abraham lived, but he uttered the 
above prophecy about eight hundred years after the 
Law of jMoses was given at Mt. Sinai, hence he could 
not have reference to the covenant that God made with 
Abraham, and he says it is unlike the one He made 
with the children of Israel when He led them out of 
Egypt, therefore we must look this side of the days 
in which Jeremiah lived, to find that covenant which 
was not to be a new one, but unlike anything the world 
had ever known before. If we can learn when this 
new covenant was given, we will know when the 
Church of Christ was established, for they are one 
and the same. Let us go to the New Testament and 
hear what Paul says about the new covenant. He said 
to the Hebrews : ‘For ye are not come unto the mount 
that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor 
unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, and the 
sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words ; which 
voice they that heard entreated that the word should 
not be spoken to them any more (For they could not 
endure that which was commanded, and if so much 
as a beast touched the mountain, it shall be stoned or 
thrust through with a dart: and so terrible was the 
sight that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake) : 
but you are come unto Mt. Zion, and unto the City of 
the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an in- 
numerable company of angels, to the general assembly 
and church ©f the first born, which are written in 


THE BEGINNING OF A GREAT KINGDOM. 189. 

heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits 
of just men made perfect, and to Jesus the Mediator 
of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, 
that speaketh better things than that of Abel.’ In 
short, Paul says, you are not come unto Mt. Sinai, 
nor to the Law of Moses nor to the covenant that 
God made with the people when He took them by the 
hand and led them out of Egypt, but you are come to 
Mt. Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, to the Church of 
the First Born, to Jesus, who is the Mediator of the 
new covenant. Notice, this covenant was not in ex- 
istence at the time Jeremiah was speaking, which was 
about six hundred years before the birth of Christ, 
but when Paul was speaking to the Hebrews, he said 
the new covenant had been given, that Jesus was its 
Mediator and he called it the Church of the First 
Born. , If the above conclusion has been rightly 
drawn, it can be easily seen that some time between the 
days in which Jeremiah lived and the day that Paul 
wrote his letter to the Hebrews, the Church of Christ, 
or the Church of the First Born, was established. In 
order to locate the exact time when the new covenant 
was given or the church was established, let us go 
back to the time of Jeremiah and take up the prophet- 
ical line and follow it until it brings us to the time 
when the church is no longer spoken of as a future, 
Fut a past event, or until it speaks of the church being 
in actual existence, and then let us go to the day when 
Paul wrote the letter to the Hebrews and take up the 
historical line and follow it back until the time when 
the church is no longer spoken of historically, but 
prophetically. If we can locate the time when these 
lines meet, then we will be able to answer the ques- 
tion as to when the church was established. From the 
foregoing we learn that the church was not established 
before the foundation of the world, or had its be- 


19). FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

ginning- in the family of Abraham. Now let us see 
if it was in existence during the days of John the 
Baptist, or if Christ established it while He was here 
on earth. 

“Was the Church of Christ in existence during the 
days of John the Baptist? I think not. Let us hear 
what Jesus said about John and the kingdom. When 
John was in prison he sent messengers to Jesus to ask 
if He was the Christ, or if they should look for another, 
and after Jesus had answered them and they had 
gone away. He said to those around Him: 'Verily I 
say unto you, among them that are born of women 
there has not risen a greater than John the Baptist: 
notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of 
heaven is greater than he.’ As he that is least in the 
kingdom of heaven was greater than John the Bap- 
tist, it follows that he was not in it, and surely John 
woiild not have set up so important a kingdom as the 
Church of Jesus Christ and then failed to enter it him- 
self. Furthermore, John was not absolutely positive 
that Christ had come, and it was to ascertain this fact 
that he sent messengers to inquire of Jesus if He was 
the Christ, or should he look for another. 

“Was the church established during the personal 
ministry of Christ? Let us take our Bibles and see 
what the inspired writers say about it. The first wit- 
ness that we will introduce will be our blessed Saviour, 
and let us weigh carefully His holy words. ‘When 
Jesus came into the coasts of Cesarea Fhilippi, He 
asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I, 
the Son of man, am?’ And after Peter had told Him 
that some thought He was one person and some an- 
other, and when Peter confessed that He ‘Was the 
Christ the Son of the living God,’ Jesus said: ‘Upon 
this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell 
shall not prevail against it.’ This language teaches us 
that the church was yet in the future, and that He 


THE BEGINNING OF A GREAT KINGDOM. 191. 

would soon build it. No man would say that he 
would build his house on a certain place, if it had 
already been built. After Jesus had made use of that 
very remarkable language in the sixteenth chapter of 
Matthew, He spoke as follows in the eighteenth chap- 
ter. Please take notice that he is speaking to His dis- 
ciples. He said : ‘Verily I say unto you, except ye 
be converted, and become as little children, ye shall 
not enter the kingdom of heaven.’ Notice He did not 
say: Except ye become converted ye shall be turned 
out of the kingdom, but ye shall not enter. This 
clearly teaches us that the disciples were not in the 
kingdom, which surely they would have been, had it 
been established at that time. 

“Just a few days before His transfiguration He said: 
‘Wrily I say unto you, that there be some of them 
that stand here, which shall not taste of death until 
thev have seen the kingdom of God come with power.’ 
Here we do not only find Him teaching that the 
kingdom was in the future, but that its coming would 
be during the lifetime of some of those who heard 
Him speaking. Again He said : ‘For I say unto you, 
I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the king- 
dom of God shall come.’ Thus we see that at the 
close of His personal ministry and just before His 
death, He taught the people that the kingdom was yet 
in the future. Surely if the kingdom had yet to come, 
it was not then in existence. You will please take 
notice that the kingdom was regarded as something 
yet in the future, until the day of Pentecost and after 
that date it is treated as something that is in existence. 
I next propose to show that previous to the day of 
Pentecost, His disciples regarded the kingdom as 
something that was yet in the future. ‘And as they 
heard these things, He added and spake a parable 
because He was nigh to Jerusalem and because they 


192. . FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

thought the kingdom of God should immediately ap- 
pear.’ Thus we see that those who had been with- 
Him so long, and heard Him teach so much in regard 
to His kingdom, understood it to be in the future, but 
thought its approach was nearer than it was. Coming 
down now to His death, ‘Joseph of Arimathea, and 
honorable counsellor, which also waited for the king- 
dom of God, came and went in boldly unto Pilate, and 
craved the body of Jesus.’ Joseph was a man of great 
ability to understand the Saviour’s teaching, who 
waited for the kingdom of God to come, even after 
Jesus was crucified. This teaches us that the king- 
dom was not established at the time of His death, 
but Joseph was waiting for it. Undubitably he was 
not waiting for that which had already come. 

“In order to establish His kingdom, Jesus came 
and selected twelve men and duly qualified them- 
for the work by taking them under His immedi- 
ate care, and for about three and a half years in- 
structed them in that which they were to perform. 
He gave them all power in heaven and earth. 
(As far as the gospel is concerned.) He gave 
them the keys of the kingdom and guided them 
by the Holy Spirit. Now, if these three state- 
ments are true, the apostles were well qualified 
to become the foundation upon which the kingdom 
or Church of Christ, with Christ being the chief 
corner-stone, could be built. But are they true? 
We propose to show by the New Testament that 
the above statements are correct. Jesus said, in 
the prayer to His Father : ‘As Thou hast sent Me 
into the world, even so have I also sent them into 
the world.’ Again, ‘Then Jesus said unto them' 
aeain, peace be unto you, ^ as my Father has sent 
Me, even so send I you.’ Now we notice that 
Jesus said He sent His apostles just as His Father 


THE BEGINNING OF, A GLIEAT KINGDOM 193. 

sent Him. Xow, if we can learn how His Father 
sent Him, then we. will know how He sent His 
apostles. How was Christ sent? With all power 
in heaven and earth. Hear what Matthew says 
about this: ‘And Jesus came and spake unto them, 
saying, all power is given unto Me in heaven and 
in earth.’ If Jesus was sent with all power in 
heaven and earth, and sent His Apostles just as- 
God sent Him, then he sent them with all power 
in heaven and earth. They had the keys of the 
kingdom. Jesus said to Peter: ‘And I will give 
unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven : and 
whatsoever thou shall bind on earth shall be bound 
in heaven ; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on 
earth shall be loosed in heaven.’ Again, He said 
to all of His Apostles : ‘And when He had said 
this. He breathed on them, and said unto them, 
receive ye the Holy Ghost ; wdiatsoever sins ye re- 
mit, they are remitted unto them ; and whosoever 
sins ye retain, they are retained.’ They were guided 
by the Holy Spirit: ‘Nevertheless I tell you the 
truth : it is expedient for you that I go away : for 
if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto 
thee ; but if I depart I will send Him unto you.’ 
‘Howbeit when Pie, the Spirit of truth is come He 
will guide you into all truth : for He shall not speak 
of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that 
shall He speak; and He will show you things to 
come.’ 

“Now if we can locate the time when the Apos- 
tles received all power, the keys of the kingdom 
and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, it will aid us 
in locating the time when the kingdom was estab- 
lished. Doubtless all will agree that all- power or 
authority must come from heaven. I invite you 
to take the Bible and turn to Matthew and see 


194. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

what he has to say about this subject, hear his 
own words: ‘After six days, Jesus taketh Peter,. 
Janies, and John, his brother, and bringeth them 
up into a high mountain apart, and was trans- 
figured before them : and His face did shine as the 
sun and his raiment was as white as the light. 
And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and 
Elias talking with Him. Then Peter answered,, 
and said unto Jesus, Lord it is good for us to be 
here : if Thou wilt, let us make three tabernacles, 
one for Thee, one for Moses, and one for Elias. 
While he yet spake,, behold, a bright cloud over- 
shadowed them ; and behold a voice out of the 
cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in 
whom I am well pleased ; hear ye Him. And when 
the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and 
were sore afraid. And Jesus came and touched 
them and said. Arise, be not afraid. And when 
they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, 
save Jesus only. And as they came down from the 
mountain, Jesus charged them, saying. Tell the 
vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen 
again from the dead.’ 

“Here we see the authority handed down from 
God to Christ on the mountain. Two very im- 
portant things are here revealed. First, God says, 
‘This is my Son in whom I am well pleased ; hear 
ye Him.’ This is the first time God ever com- 
manded any one to hear His Son. When He was 
immersed, and as He came up out of the water, 
God said, ^‘This is my beloved Son, in whom 1 am 
well pleased,’ but He did not command them to 
hear Him. Let us not overlook the second fact, 
that Moses and Elias were there. Moses, repre- 
senting the law, and Elias representing the proph- 
ets. The voice from heaven said, ‘Hear ye Him.’ 


THE BEGINNING OF A GREAT KINGDOM. 195. 


-No longer hear Moses, no longer read the Old 
Testament to find the plan of salvation, no longer 
hear the prophets, but hear Christ. Now let us 
follow Christ and listen to what He says. As He 
^oes down the’ mountain-side : ‘Tell the vision to 
no man until the Son of man be risen again from 
the dead.’ We see from this language that the 
authority was handed down from God to Christ on 
the mountain and Jesus told His disciples to tell 
the vision to no man until the Son of man be 
risen again from the dead. Here we see the au- 
thority to teach was withheld from the apostles 
until after the resurrection. After Jesus was put 
to death and the third day burst the bars of the 
tomb, He walked with His disciples about forty 
<iays, and just before He ascended to heaven He 
gave the apstles the world-wide, that every-creature 
-commission, saying: ‘All power is given unto Me 
in heaven and earth. Go ye, therefore, and teach 
all nations, baptizing them in the name of the 
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 
teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I 
have commanded you : and lo, I am with you al- 
ways, even unto the end of the world. Amen.’ 
And then He added, that ‘They should not de- 
part from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of 
the Father, which, saith He, ye have heard of 
Me.’ 

“Now, let us sum up and see what these scrip- 
tures teach us. With the thought in mind that 
all authority must come from heaven. God hands 
the authority down to Christ on the mountain, 
Jesus gives it to His disciples, but forbids them 
to tell it until after His resurrection. After He 
rose from the dead. He taught them forty days, 
rand told them to wait at Jerusalem for the prom- 


196. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

ise of the Father. Until now the apostles have 
never been free to preach to every creature. Now 
let us wait with the apostles at Jerusalem, and 
see what takes place. 

“Note, Jesus has ascended to heaven. He has 
been crowned King of kings and Lord of lords. 
Now He is the head of the body, now He has en- 
tered heaven with His own blood, now He is our 
great High Priest, the veil in the Temple is rent 
from top to bottom, and He is the Testator of the 
New Testament. Surely all things are now ready. 
The day of Pentecost has fully come; the Holy 
Spirit, the promised gift of the Father, has been 
dispatched from heaven. ‘And there appeared unto 
them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon 
each of them. And they were all filled with the 
Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues 
as the Spirit gave them utterance.’ Now when 
this was noised abroad, the multitude came to- 
gether and Peter preached to them. For the first 
time he could preach Christ’s death. His burial 
and resurrection. For the first time he could 
preach His ascension and glorification. When Pe- 
ter accused the people of taking the Lord of Glory 
and with wicked hands ‘crucified and slain’ Him, 
they were pricked to the hearts and cried out, ‘Men 
and brethren, what shall we do?’ Now, Peter, 
armed with all authority, armed with the keys of 
the kingdom and guided by the Holy Spirit, gave 
them the answer, that should ring out from every 
pulpit in the land today. ‘Then Peter said unto 
them. Repent and be baptized, every one of you, 
in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of 
sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy 
Ghost.’ 

“Before the day of Pentecost, following the res- 


THE BEGINNING OF A GREAT KINGDOM. 197. 

tirrection of Christ, the church was spoken of as 
something in the future, but on that day it was 
spoken of as being in actual existence. Luke says: 
‘And the Lord added to the church daily such as 
should be saved.’ If the church existed prior to 
the day of Pentecost, it was a kingdom without a 
king, as Jesus refused to be a king on earth and 
never was one in heaven until after His ascension 
and was crowned King of kings and Lord of lords. 
If it existed prior to Pentecost, it was a body with- 
out a head, for Jesus was not the head over all 
things to the church until after His resurrection 
from the dead and ascension to heaven. If the 
church existed before Pentecost, it was a body with- 
out the Spirit, for the Spirit was not given, says 
John, until after Jesus was glorified, and if it ex- 
isted as a body without the Spirit, it was a dead 
body, as James says the body without the Spirit is 
dead. If the church existed before the day of Pen- 
tecost, it was an institution in which there was no 
High Priest to offer an atonement or make inter- 
cession for its members, because Jesus was not a 
priest while on earth. If the Church of Christ ex- 
isted before His crucifixion, it existed at the same 
time that the Law of Hoses was in force, and if 
the Law of the Spirit of Life was in force before 
Jesus nailed the old law to the cross, there were 
two laws which were paradoxical to each other, 
running parallel from the time that the church was 
established until the abrogation of the Law of Ho- 
ses, and Jesus kept and taught others to keep the 
law, even after His own laAV, which is not only 
.superior to the Hosaic law, but is directly opposed 
^o its teaching in many vital points, was in force. 
If -.hey both existed then, He could not keep the 
two. bccau.se they taught conflicting doctrines. We 


198. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

3cnow that Jesus kept the law of Moses and taught 
others to do so, therefore if His law was in exist- 
vence, then He must have ignored it. As I under- 
stand the scriptures, the law of Moses was a school- 
master to bring the Jews — that is, to prepare them 
— for the reception of Christ, and when Jesus came 
He abolished the Law of Moses on the cross, and 
^established His own law or church on the day of 
Pentecost following His resurrection. It is true 
that a great many things that were in the old law 
:are made binding on us in the new, but this is 
<easily accounted for, in this way: Jesus abolished 
the law and when He established His church some 
things that were contained in the Mosaic law were 
brought over and placed in the new, but they are 
not binding upon us by virtue of their being in the 
■old law, but because they are in the new. 

“Previous to the day of Pentecost, the church 
was spoken of as being in the future, but on and 
•ever after that date it was spoken of as being in 
actual existence. Isaiah called it the going forth 
•of the word of the Lord ; Jesus says that Jerusalem 
is the place where repentance and remission of 
sins should first be preached, under the world-wide 
•commission. Peter, while he was at the house of 
■Cornelius, referred to the incidents that took place 
•on the day of Pentecost and called it the begin- 
ning. Paul refers to Jerusalem as being the mother 
•of us all, and Smith’s Bible Dictionary says that 
Pentecost is the birthday of the Christian Church. 
'Therefore in the presence of such unimpeacable 
witnesses and under the weight of such a preponder- 
ant amount of strong evidence, I am forced to the 
conclusion that the Church of Christ was estab- 
lished in the City of Jerusalem on the first Pente- 
cost after the resurrection of our Lord and Savior 


THE BEGINNING OF A GLIEAT KINGDOM 199. 


Jesus Christ.” 

“Mr. W.,” continued the young engineer, “I re- 
gret very much to discontinue this Bible investi- 
gation, for even one evening, but I learned today 
that two men are holding a protracted meeting at 
the Shady Grove Schoolhouse, and that great 
crowds are assembling nightly to hear these gifted 
preachers. It is said that their teaching is unlike 
anything that has ever been in this country be- 
fore. I am anxious to hear them, and for this rea- 
son I shall postpone our investigation for a few 
evenings.” ^ 

“While we regret very much to have to defer this 
matter, but you go to hear the preachers, and if you 
conclude, after you have heard them a few times, 
that they are preaching the whole truth, you may 
let us know and we will go, too, and hear them,” 
said Mr. W. 

“Will go tomorrow evening, and if they preach 
the gospel as it is revealed in the New Testament, 
I will report at once, and before they close I :^ug- 
gest that we bow obediently to the mild sceptre^ 
of the Son of God, just as .soon as we learn what 
He would have us do,” said Clyde, as he rose and 
started to his room. 


200. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 


CHAPTER XV. 

ANOTHER battle. 

“Mr. W.,” said Clyde, as he and the young lady 
seated themselves in her uncle’s comfortable room, 
“Miss Silvey and I have gone for three successive 
evenings to hear those preachers who are holding 
nightly meetings in the Shady Grove Schoolhouse 
and I am confident that they are humble ministers 
of God and are faithfully proclaiming the ‘Faith 
which was once delivered unto the saints.’ Their 
ability to present its truths and their apparent zeal 
and earnest desire to extend the borders of the' 
kingdom of Christ seem to be far greater than thai 
of any preacher to whom I have ever listened. The 
first evening that we were there, one of them 
preached on Faith, and he clearly showed that there 
was but one faith, and it is the conviction of’ 
things not seen and the confidence of things hoped 
for, that it comes by hearing the Word of God and 
its object is for the remission of sins, when it is 
followed by other conditions of the gospel. The 
second evening he spoke on repentence and showed 
it to be a turning away from our sins, that the 
goodness of God leads us to repent and like faith, 
it is essential to salvation. Last evening, his sub- 
ject was Baptism, and he handled it under the fol- 
lowing divisions: First, Its action; second, its sub- 
ject, and third, its design. He gave scriptural proof 
for every position he took, by showing that the 
Pentecostians were believers, that Peter com- 
manded them to repent and be baptized for the re- 


ANOTHER BATTLE 


201 . 


.mission of sins, and that Paul says we are buried 
with Christ in baptism. I have carefully examined 
each one of his proof texts and have found them to 
be correct. Already a number have been persuaded 
to accept the gospel and live better lives under the 
power of their eloquent appeals. 

“This evening he is going to preach on the King- 
dom of Christ. I feel sure that the time has come 
for which we have so long prayed, and that God 
has sent two of His faithful ministers into our midst 
and I believe they are men who do not have only 
a thorough understanding of God’s Holy Word, but 
have the courage to boldly present its truths ; speak 
where the Bible speaks and are silent where it is 
:silent, and I rejoice to know that I have at last 
learned the way of life and salvation and can cast 
my lot with a class of people who believe and teach 
the gospel just as it was when it fell from the pure 
tips of the Son of God. If his sermon this evening 
is a gospel one, if he preaches the truth as faith- 
tully and earnestly as he did the last three evenings, 
I shall bow obediently to the King of kings and 
Lord of lords,- start for my home tomorrow that I 
may make glad the hearts of my invalid mother and 
fond sister, by revealing to them the glorious truths 
^contained in God’s Holy Word.” 

“Mrs. W. and I had thought of attending the 
meeting this evening and since you have given us 
such a favorable report, we will put into execution 
our good intentions, and if you decide after hearing 
the discourse, that it has the Divine sanction, we, 
too, will make a public confession of our faith in 
Christ, and become obedient to the commandments 
of the gospel,” said Mr. W., in a strong firm voice, 
as his mind wondered back to the scene on that 
<cold wint'er day, when in the church yard and be- 


202. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

-side the fresh dug grave, which was yawning to 
swallow up all that was mortal of his darling child, 
he kneeled and solemnly vowed before God that he 
would give his heart to Christ and prayed to the 
angels to tell his loved one, he would meet her in 
vthe sky. 

The long afternoon hours passed slowly by, and 
just as the sun was bathing his golden wings in the 
occidental valleys and casting a shadow of dark- 
ness over the Eastern hills, two buggies, one occu- 
pied by Mr. W. and his wife and the other by Miss 
Silvey and Clyde, started from the old mountain 
mansion, toward the little school house that was 
hidden away in the valley between two mountains 
that stood oil each side of it. 

“Mr. Newman,” said Miss Silvey, “if those men 
preach what we think is the truth and you have an 
‘Opportunity to obey the gospel thiai evening, will you 
leave tomorrow morning for your home?” 

“Miss Silvey,” said Clyde firmly, “I promised my 
mother and sister that I would endeavor to learn 
God’s truth and just as soon as I knew my duty to 
Christ, I would do it. If I can learn the whole 
truth this evening, and have an opportunity to obey 
the gospel, I shall start for my home, if not tomor- 
row, within a day or two, reveal to them the glori- 
ous principles of the gospel, that they, too, may re- 
joice in the liberty wherein Christ makes us free.” 

“You will please pardon me if I should seem ir- 
reverent in my remarks, but I am half inclined to 
wish that they — ” said Miss Silvey, as she looked 
-up at Clyde, half smiling. 

“You wish what?” asked the young engineer. 

“Oh, nothing only that you would never have to 
•go back,” she, said. 

“I wish that I could always remain here, or else 


ANOTHER BATTLE 


203 . 


you could go with me/' said the young man, as be- 
took the young lady’s small white hand in his. 

The young lady sat and gazed for a moment at 
the buggy wheel which was grinding through the 
small rocks, then raised her large brown eyes,.. 
looked into the young engineer’s manly face and in 
a low affectionate voice said: 

“I will go, but not tomorrow.” 

‘'Miss Silvey,” continued Clyde, “my mother and 
sister are waiting my return, and while they are- 
lonely without me, yet they will be willing to spare 
me from them a few days longer, in order to have 
you enter our home and become a member of our 
already happy family. I shall be glad to wait until 
you are ready to go.” 

Thus the two hearts which beat as one, drove on- 
happy in the thought that they had found in each 
other a friend who was as true as the blue heavens 
which were spread out over them and their solemn 
pledge had been witnessed by the first stars that 
had stepped out on the portico of the new night to 
scatter the clouds of darkness, which were draping 
themselves about the tall mountains that were about 
to emerge into the stillness and blackness of the 
night. 

They stopped in front of the school house which 
was already more than two-thirds filled with peo- 
ple, some of whom had come for miles to hear the 
new and strange doctrine. Miss Silvey and Clyde, 
followed by Mr. W. and wife, walked into the room 
and sat down near the front. Two men were sit- 
ting by a small stand that had been placed a few 
feet from the wall. The congregation sang a song 
and it was followed by a prayer, after which one of 
the ministers, a tall, smooth faced man, rose and 
spoke as follows: 


204. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THROKE. 

‘Xadies and gentlemen, I am extremely glad of 
this opportunity to present for your candid consid- 
eration, the doctrine and history of the Church of 
Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. This is earth’s 
greatest institution and the world’s only hope. Its 
illustrious founder, Joseph Smiin, was born at 
Sharon, Vt., December 23rd, 1805, and while he 
came of humble parentage and had little, if any 
advantage of an education, God laid His hand upon 
him and endowed him with a wisdom, such as the 
world has never known since the day that the Son 
of God ascended to His Father’s Throne, and his 
knowledge or understanding of things Divine was 
far superior to that of the learned theologians of 
earth. From a boy, he was of a religious turn of 
mind and during the great religious awakening he 
attended the revivals that were held in the commun- 
ity in which he lived, and sought for that peace of 
mind which only the true religion of Christ can 
give, but among the so-called orthodox church, he 
found nothing but confusion, conflicting creeds and 
doctrines. At the tender age of fourteen, he retired 
to a secret place and prayed, that God would tell 
him which creed was correct and to point out the 
sect that was the true church of Christ. While thus 
praying, God sent an angel who told him that none 
of the churches were right, but that the ancient cov- 
enant which God gave to Israel was at hand to be 
fulfilled and the work of evangelizing the world 
through His Son was soon to be inaugurated. 

'‘On the 21st day of September, 1823, the angel 
visited him again, and assured him that his sins 
were pardoned and that God had chosen him as an 
instrument through whom the gospel in its purity 
and fulness should be given to the whole world ; 
and gave him a brief sketch of the history of the 


ANOTHER BATTLE 


205 . 


first inhabitants of America. This angel made vis- 
its to him at different intervals and on the 22nd 
day of September, 1827, he placed in the hands of 
the young prophet, those wonderful golden plates 
from which was translated the only reliable and 
authentic history of the first settlers of this contin- 
ent. These plates were in size, eight inches long, 
seven inches wide, some thinner than tin, and were 
bound together by three strings running through 
the whole and when bound, the entire volume was 
about six inches thick. In order to enable Mr. Smith 
to translate the characters engraved upon these 
plates, the heavenly messenger gave him the Urim 
and Thummin, which consisted of two transparent 
stones. The prophet sat behind a blanket hung 
across the room that no profane eye could see the 
sacred plates. In translating, the prophet would 
place the stones in his hat, which he pulled over his 
face so as to exclude all natural light, and in the 
d?rkness the spiritual light would sli.’ne and one 
character at a time would appear on something like 
parchment, with the word in English below it. He 
would dictate the word to Oliver Cowdery, who 
would repeat it to Joseph to see that it was correct, 
and then write it down. 

‘Tn the year 1830, tlie Book of Mormon appeared, 
with the names of Oliver Cowdery, Martin Harris 
and David Whitmer appended to a certificate tes- 
tifying that the book was true and that an angel 
from heaven had come down and confirmed the 
work. This book is important, not only because of 
the religious principles it contains, but because of 
the valuable historical facts that it has given to the 
world, which could not have been obtained through 
any other source. This wonderful book tells us 
that a colony of Jaredites came from the Tower of 


20G. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 


BabeT and settled on this continent, but being a. 
blood-thirsty class, war broke out among the tribes 
and never ceased until they had destroyed each 
other. At the beginning of the sixth century of the 
Christian era another race, the ancestors of the Am- 
erican Indians, came from Jerusalem and settled in 
North America. This race being warlike, too,, 
fought among themselves and soon darkness and 
unbelief settled down upon the new world, but be- 
fore God's last witness perished, He commissioned 
Mormon to prepare a history of their race and the 
prophecies pertaining to the full proclamation of 
the gospel and the restoration of Israel and hide 
them in the hill Cumorae ; that it may be secured 
by one whom He would raise up and commission 
to hold up the torch of liberty by which the nations- 
of earth could enjoy the full and complete emanci- 
pation from their sins and be led into the true light 
of the gospel of Christ. From among the millions 
of America’s fair sons, the Spirit of God lighted 
upon Joseph Smith and anointed him to dig up 
these plates and under the instructions of the angel, 
translate into English, which he did and thus gave 
us the book of Morman, and we accept it as Divine 
We know it is true, because of its internal and ex- 
ternal evidence. The prints of the finger of God 
are seen upon each of its sacred pages, and the three 
men whose names are attached, who certify that 
they saw the plates, together with the multiplied 
thousands of souls that have been saved and com- 
forted by its wonderful power, stand as never dying 
witnesses, testifying to its Divine claims. 

'Tn organization, the Church of Jesus Christ of 
Latter Day Saints is after the ancient order of 
things. To rule in matters, both temporal and ec- 
clesiastical, we have, first. President ; second. Pa-- 


ANOTHER J5ATTLE 


207 . 


triarch; third, Council of the Twelve; fourth, The 
•Seventy; fifth. The High Priest; sixth. The Bish- 
op; seventh. Elders; eighth, Priests, and ninth, 
Teachers and Deacons. 

“We accept both the Old and New Testaments, 
we believe in the atonement of Christ, full obedience 
to the commandments of the gospel, and the res- 
toration of the Apostolic order of organization, and 
miraculous gifts of the Spirit, such as healing the. 
sick, prophecy, discerning of spirits, visions, etc. 
We believe in living a pure, holy and godly life. 

“The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 
has been persecuted by the so-called orthodox 
churches. Our illustrious prophet and founder was 
abused, ridiculed, and like our blessed Master, was 
rshamefully put to death, but as the same God that 
ruled the churches in the day of the Apostles, is 
ruling in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day 
“Saints and as the same Spirit that inspired, guided 
and comforted the twelve Galilean fishermen, has 
permeated our church, it, like the ancient or mothei 
church, has withstood the fiery persecutions and 
comes before the world today, untouched and un- 
Larmed, 

“Friends, would you like to belong to the church 
that Jesus purchased with His own blood? Would 
you like to be a member of the institution that Paul 
•called the Body of Christ? Would you like to be- 
long to the Kingdom of God’s dear Son, be saved 
by the same gospel, and receive the same miracu- 
lous gifts that the Christians of the first century 
received? If so, come while we sing.” 

The congregation rose and sang a familiar hymn, 
two young men went forward and gave the preach- 
er their hands. The congregation sat down and the 
preacher continued : 


208. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

“Friends, you have heard the gospel this evening, 
two have responded to the urgent invitation to 
accept Christ, but others have refused. Is there 
any one who doubts our doctrine or for any reason 
is staying away from Christ tonight, who would 
like to speak? If so, you now have an opportunity 
to do so.” 

Clyde New man rose, stepped to the front, faced 
the congregation and in a firm strong voice said : 

“Ladies and gentlemen, I am an honest penitent 
believer. I have been searching for the truth and 
-came here this evening believing these scholarly 
men could lead me into the light of God’s Holy 
word, but instead, they have taught a doctrine that 
Christ never authorized, Paul never preached and 
the New Testament does not sanction. They have 
preached another gospel than that which the Apos- 
tles taught, and, friends, let us heed the admonition 
of him who said, 'But though we, or an angel from 
heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that 
which we have preached unto you, let him be ac- 
cursed.’ ” 

There was a silence, like unto that of the stillness 
of death, settled down over the audience, each eye 
was turned towards the mysterious stranger, and 
every ear was listening to drink in every word that 
fell from the lips of our young hero. 

“These men,” he continued, “are Mormons, and 
have pictured in glowing terms, what they would 
call the beauties, benefits and truths of the Book 
of Mormon and have eulogized their self-styled 
‘Divine prophet,’ Joseph Smith. Let us investigate 
their claims, and see whether or not the Book of 
Mormon is true and if Joseph Smith was a prophet 
Divinely inspired of God. This we will do by ex- 


ANOTHER BATTLE 


2C9. 


amining the proofs upon which the Mormon Bible 
stands, the life of the prophet and by following 
their trail, which is made crimson by the life fluid 
of innocent men, women and children whose lives 
were taken by the blood-thirsty Mormons. 

‘There is but' one question involved in this mat- 
ter. This question is; Was Joseph Smith a true 
prophet, and Divinely inspired to translate the Book 
of Mormon? This is the vital and only question to 
Mormonism. Upon this proposition, Mormonism 
must stand or fall. Joe Smith was either a true 
prophet or a false one. If he was a true prophet, 
the world should know it, and if he was not, Mor- 
monism is false and its erroneous doctrines and 
^crime stained history should be exposed and every 
loyal, honest and patriotic American citizen should 
rise in the power of their manhood, free our fair 
•country and honored flag of this blighting curse, 
drive the hydra-headed monster of Mormonism from 
the Xand of the free and the home of the brave,’ 
•and save from its poisoned clutches, the deluded 
victims that are worshiping at its filthy and mur- 
der stained shrine. 

“Was Joseph Smith a Divine or a true prophet? 
The weakest link always tests the strength of the 
chain. The followers of Joe Smith have found this 
the weakest link in the Mormon tug. In almost 
every debate they get it broken, but they keep a 
large force of new prophets at work, trying to keep 
it welded together by receiving new revelations. 
While they are getting other light on this question, 
let us examine the one upon which the Mormon 
doctrine stands. 

“Mormons affirm that the Book of Mormon is 
true. How do they know it? Friends, the only 
proof they have that the Book of Mormon is true. 


210. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

is that the unsupported and unreliable word of Joe 
Smith is behind it, and the world knows that his 
word, neither before nor after the time he claimed to 
have received the revelation, could not be relied 
upon, and his life never was commendable in any 
respect. 

“Let us hear David Whitmer on how the Book 
of Mormon was translated ; he says : ‘I will now 
give you a description of the manner in which the 
Book of Mormon was translated. Joseph Smith 
would put the seer stone into a hat, and put his 
face in the hat, drawing it closely around his face 
to exclude the light ; and in the darkness the spir- 
itual light would shine. A piece of something re- 
sembling parchment would appear, and on that ap- 
peared the writing. One character at a time would 
appear, and under it was the interpretation in Eng- 
lish. Brother Joseph would read of the English to 
Oliver Cowdery, who was his principle, scribe and 
when it was written down and repeated to Brother 
Joseph to see if it was correct, then it would dis- 
appear. Thus the Book of Mormon was translated 
by the gift and power of God, and not by any power 
of man.’ Address to All Believers in Christ, page 
12. Friends, who translated the book? Joseph 
Smith. Who could read the strange characters 
that were engraved on the plates? Could Oliver 
Cowdery? Could David Whitmer? Could Martin 
Harris? No, none of these men could read it. Could 
Joseph Smith? He said he could ; we have his word 
for it. W e saw the word in English, before it was 
dictated to Oliver Cowdery? Joe Smith. Did any 
one else? No, Joe Smith was the only man who 
could see, understand and translate the book, and 
if I wanted to believe the Mormon Bible tonight, I 
would have to do just what these men have done. 


ANOTHER BATTLE 


211 . 


accept it as true because Joe Smith said it was. 
The world, to believe this doctrine, must take the 
book upon no other evidence than that of Smith’s 
word, as no other man did or could do the trans- 
lating and old Joe had everything his own way. It 
is true that there are three witnesses who have their 
names signed to a certificate certifying that the 
Book of Mormon is of God, but what do they know 
about it? They could not read the plates and they 
did not know any more about whether the book was 
translated rightly or not, than a babe that was born 
an hour after the book was complete. They could 
not read a word from the plates, no mortal eye ever 
saw the word before it was translated into Eng- 
lish upon the ‘something resembling parchment,’ 
but Joseph Smith. Oliver Cowdery, ‘the principal 
scribe,’ had to take Joe’s word for it; he never saw 
it and knew nothing about what to write, only as 
Smith dictated it to him, but just as soon as the 
book was complete, Oliver Cowdery, Martin Har- 
ris and David Whitmer came out and declared in 
bold terms that the book is true. Mr. Cowdery, 
Harris and Whitmer, how do you know it is true? 
Did you read it in the original tongue? No, Joe 
Smith said it was true, and we know it is true, be- 
cause Joe Smith’s word is behind it. 

“The claim of Joseph Smith is on a par with that 
of IMohammed. He claimed to have been visited 
by Gabriel and received a message from him, and 
he, like Smith, asked the world t<:> take his unsup- 
ported word as conclusive evidence that the Koran 
is a Divine book. Mohammed, however, has one 
advantage over Smith ; his life, previous to his sup- 
posed revelation and a great many years afterwards 
was more exemplary and trustworthy than Smith’s, 
and for this reason I think we can give more ere- 


212. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

clence to the claims of the former than we can to 
the latter. 

“The home life, personal habits of the prophet 
Smith and the character of some of his followers, 
reflect no credit upon the Book of Mormon, but 
on the other hand his unChrist like life and the 
thefts and crimes committed by a part of his dis- 
ciples would preclude the probability of any who- 
are acquainted with the Mormon history and con- 
versant with the Bible, being led away by this 
demon of darkness. 

“Was Joe Smith the prophet a profane man? 
Yes, he laughed at Mormonism and said: ‘I have 

got the d fools fixed and will carry out the 

fun.’ Mormon Portraits by Wyl, page 19. He 
would get drunk, was dishonest, immoral and in- 
troduced that heathenish, inhuman, ungodly and 
hellish practice of polygamy into the Mormon 
church. Listen to what David Whitmer, one of the 
original witnesses to the Mormon Bible, said about 
who introduced this shocking practice, which is 
not only a disgrace to our flag, but a blight upon 
the history of this fair country that is as black as 
hell itself. Hear his own words : ‘I now have as 
much evidence to believe that brother Joseph re- 
ceived the revelation on polygamy and gave it to- 
the church, as I have to believe that such a man as 
George Washington ever lived. I never saw Gen- 
eral Washington, but from reliable testimony I be- 
lieve that he did live.’ Address to all Believers in 
Christ, page 38. Any thinking man or woman, can 
see at once, that Mr. Whitmer knew more about 
polygamy than he did about the translation of the 
Book of ^Mormon, for polygamy he could see and 
read, but the original plates he could not, but had 
to just take Joe’s word for it. 


ANOTHER BATTLE 


213 . 


“What about the Church at, Salt Lake City? This 
institution, if such it can be called, has a very bad 
reputation. It was responsible for and participated 
in that cold-blooded, inhuman and worse than 
heathen butchery, the Mountain Meadows massa- 
cre where scores of defenseless and innocent men, 
women and children were shot down in cold blood 
or pierced through with the sword in the hands of 
the blood-thirsty Mormons and Indians. 

“Of this church, David Whitmer, the witness, 
says : Tf you believe my testimony to the Book of 
Mormon ; if you believe that God spake to us three 
witnesses by His own voice, then I tell you that in 
June, 1838, God spake to me again by His own 
voice from the heavens, and told me to “separate 
myself from among the Latter Day Saints, for as 
they sought to do unto me, so should it be done 
unto them,’ Whitmer’s Address to All Believers 
in Christ, page 27. 

“I could say more upon this subject,, but my time 
is spent. Friends, I can not believe the Book of 
Mormon, because it has for its only foundation, the 
unsupported word of an unreliable, immoral and 
dishonest man, and I can never be a member of 
the Latter Day Saints -because its history is as 
black as Egyptian darkness.” 

The young engineer, followed by Miss Silvey and 
her uncle and aunt, walked out to their buggies and 
were soon lost from the sight of the half startled 
crowd, in the depths of the mountains. 


214. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 


CHAPTER XVI. 

A FIRM RFSOLVE; 

The sun had soared his circuit of the heavens and 
sunk behind the western hills, as it were, to rest his 
weary wings, and the full moon was looking down 
from a cloudless sky, when Miss Silvey and Clyde 
entered her uncle’s room and sat down to enjoy the 
small fire which was burning low on the hearth 
before them. 

“Mr. Newman,” said Mr. W., “I am thoroughly 
convinced that one who can meet the arguments of 
an infidel, offset the claims of sectarianism and ex- 
pose the false doctrine and corrupt practices of the 
Mormon heresy, as successfully as you have done, is 
fully competent to take the Bible and teach us the 
way of life and salvation from God’s Holy Word.” 

“I am very sorry,” said the young hero, “that we 
were disappointed in those men whom I thought, 
judging from their apparent zeal for the extension 
of Christ’s Kingdom and their unlimited knowledge 
of God’s word, were true ministers of the gospel 
of His dear Son. Mormonism is a smooth coun- 
terfeit and when its claims are pushed by such tire- 
less, eloquent and able men as they, it is calculated 
to do much harm. Surely Jesus had in miiid just 
such men as Joseph Smith and his ardent followers 
when He said: 'For there shall arise false Christs, 
and false prophets, and show great signs and won- 
ders ; in so much that, if it were possible, they shall 
deceive the very elect.’ While I am disappointed,. 


A FIRM RESOLVE 


215 . 


yet I am not discouraged. I know the Bible con- 
tains the true doctrine of Christ, and if it is possible 
for the human mind to grasp its truths, I solemnly 
vow before God, that I will never leave the rip- 
pling brooks and the life giving breezes of Colo- 
rado’s picturesque mountains, until I have learned 
the truth as it is in Christ and have obeyed every 
command of a risen King. 

“In our investigation this evening, we will notice 
the subject of Faith. All religious people believe 
that faith in Jesus Christ is essential to salvation. 
As faith is so important, it is necessary that we 
be able to answer the following questions : 1st, 
What is faith? 2nd, What is the object of faith? 
.3rd. How is faith produced? 4th, What is it? 
office when it is produced? 

“As to the first question, what is faith? Let us 
read the first verse of the eleventh chapter of He- 
brews. ‘Now faith is the substance of things hoped 
for, the evidence of things not seen.’ Just as this 
definition stands it is very difficult to get a clear 
conception of the subject. How can faith be the 
substance of things hoped for? We can understand 
Tiow the substance of a thing can be the essential 
import or the material of which it is made, but we 
can not see how it can be the substance of things 
lioped for.’ We may say that we hope for heaven, 
and if we have faith, then we have the substance of 
heaven, or heaven itself. We can see how faith can 
he the result of evidence, but we can’t see how faith 
■‘Is the evidence of things not seen.’ 

‘It is generally agreed among scholars, that the 
translators have failed to clearly bring out the 
Apostle’s meaning in this passage ; but the follow- 
ing one is supposed by many to be the best: ‘Now 
faith is the conviction of things not seen, the confi- 


21G. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

dence of things hoped for.’ Faith looks to the past 
and also to the future. We never saw God, Christ 
or Heaven, yet we are convinced that God is, that 
Christ is His only begotten Son and that heaven is 
to be the final abode of the righteous. Hence ‘Faith 
is the conviction of things not seen.’ We believe 
that all who live Godly in Christ Jesus, will receive 
a crown and enjoy a life of perpetual happiness 
throughout eternity, therefore our confidence in 
things hoped for. Let us turn to the eleventh chap- 
ter of Hebrews and see some examples or faith. 
The Apostle says : ‘Through faith we understand 
that the world were formed by the word of God, so 
that things which are seen were not made of things 
which do appear.’ In this remarkable statement, 
we see but one element of faith, that which looks 
to the past. It is not an object of hope. We never 
saw God speak worlds into existence, we never saw 
Him create the sun, we never saw Him launch the 
moon upon her silvery sea or saw Him shape the 
stars and sow them in the midnight sky, but we 
are convinced that He ‘Hath measured the waters 
in the hollow of His hand, and meted out heaven 
with the span, and comprehended the dust of the 
earth in a measure and weighed the mountains in 
scales and the hills in a balance ;’ and that ‘The 
heavens do show forth His handy works,’ therefore, 
our conviction of things not seen. 

“Again Paul says: ‘By faith Enoch was translat- 
ed that he should not see death ; and was not found, 
because God had translated him : for before his 
translation he had this testimony, that he pleased 
God.’ Paul, knowing that there was nothing said 
about Enoch’s faith, adds in the next verse: ‘But 
without faith it is impossible to please Him : for he 
that cometh to God must believe that he is, and 


A FIEIM RESOLVE 


217 . 


that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek 
Him.' Here the Apostle gives us a clear definition 
of faith. It has two elements, one looking to the 
past and the other to the future. He says that those 
who come to God must believe that He is. Enoch 
believed this and came to God, therefore his convic- 
tion of that which he had never seen and had the 
other element of faith, he believed God to be a 
rewarder of those who diligently seek Him, hence 
his confidence in that which he hoped for. From 
these two examples, we learn that faith has two 
elements and is the conviction of things not seen, 
and the confidence of things hoped for. 

“Having found out what faith is, let us now see 
what is its object. What is the object of faith? 
‘When Jesus came into the coasts of Cesarea Phil- 
ippi, He asked His disciples, saying, whom do men 
say that I, the Son of man, am? And they said, 
some say that thou art John the Baptist, some, 
Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. 
He said unto them, but whom say ye that I am? 
And Simon Peter answered and said. Thou art the 
Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus answered 
and said unto him, blessed art thou, Simon Bar- 
jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto 
thee, but my Father which is in heaven.’ Jesus 
Christ was the object of Peter’s faith. He is the 
one in whom we believe. Though we have never 
seen Him, yet we are convinced that He is the Son 
of God. We have never seen any one who has re- 
turned from the Spirit land, to tell us of His redeem- 
ing love, but we are confident that He will save 
the obedient ones and that there are pleasures ever- 
more at God’s right hand. 

“Plow is faith produced? We have often heard 
persons praying earnestly for God to give them 


218. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

Upon me, while my faith in Jesus Christ as the Son 
of God and Saviour of the world creates in me a 
feeling of awe or reverence. "Why this difference?’ 
We see no difficulty in meeting the above objec- 
tion. It should be remembered just here that facts 
have a meaning which the understanding appre- 
hends and the heart feels. The effect upon us va- 
ries according to the meaning or nature of the 
proposition believed. Let us glance for a moment 
at our sensitive powers. If on surveying a land- 
scape, made beautiful and fragrant by the flowers 
of spring, we are pleased ; and on surveying a bat- 
tlefield covered with dead and dying men, we are 
pained, I ask the objector, what causes the joy 
on the one hand and -the pain on the other? Was- 
it the way in which we looked, or that which we 
saw- If on hearing the sweet tones of the feathered 
songsters, I am delighted, and on hearing the roar- 
ing of the distant thunder, I am terrified, is it the 
way in which I hear that brings delight on one 
hand and terror on the other, or is it in that which 
I hear? Suppose some thieves rhould steal one of 
your neighbor’s sheep, you hear of it, you feel sor- 
ry for your neighbor, because he has lost the price 
of one sheep, but suppose you hear that those 
thieves came back the next night, got into your 
neighbor’s house, kidnaped one of his children and 
sped away with it. How would you feel? Would 
the effect be the same? No, your noble nature would' 
be aroused, you would shed tears of grief and join 
the searching party to rescue the child and punish 
the thieves. Was it the way you heard the news, 
that caused you to give the first offense only a 
passing thought and that caused the second one to 
affect you so deeply? No, it was not in the way you 
heard it, but that which you heard. One was only 


A FIRM RESOLVE 


219 . 


the remission of your sins and ye shall receive the 
gift of the Holy Ghost/ Would it not be far bet- 
ter for every preacher to preach just what the 
Apostles did, and for all of God’s people to ‘Be 
joined together in the same mind and the same 
judgment and all speak the same thing?’ How can 
this be done? By all calling Bible things by Bible 
names, and by giving Bible answers to Bible ques- 
tions. 

“How does faith come? Paul says: ‘For whoso- 
•ever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be 
saved. How then shall they call upon Him in 
whom they have not believed? and how shall they 
believe in Him of whom they have not heard? and 
bow shall they hear without a preacher?’ Paul in- 
tended to convey the idea that they could not do 
•either, and clearly showed that after the facts of 
the gospel existed the order is : Preaching, hearing 
and believing. Paul then remarked : ‘So then faith 
cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of 
God.’ After Jesus had taught the facts of the gos- 
pel to his Apostles, His first charge to them was, 
‘Preach the gospel to every creature.’ In prayer to 
His Father He said: ‘Neither pray I for these 
alone, but for them also which shall believe on me 
their word.’ Notice, the people for whom Jesus 
prayed, were to believe on Him, not through or by 
prayer, not by others praying for them, but through 
the words of the Apostles. In keeping with this 
arrangement, Peter preached to the Pentecostians, 
and ‘when they heard this, they were pricked in the 
heart.’ So their faith came by hearing and they 
belonged to that class of believers for whom Jesus 
prayed. The faith of the Gentiles came in the same 
way ; Peter said : ‘Brethren, ye know how that a 
good while ago God made choice among us, that the 


220. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

Gentiles by mouth should hear the word of the gos- 
pel, and believe.’ John says : ‘And many other signs 
truly did Jesus in the presence of His disciples, 
which are not written in this book: but these are 
written that ye might believe that Jesus is the 
Christ the Son of God ; and believing ye might have 
life through His name.’ Many other passages of 
scripture could be referred to, but these are suffi- 
cient to prove that ‘faith cometh by hearing and 
hearing by the word of God.' 

“The amount of faith we possess, depends upon 
the amount of testimony we have received. All we 
know about God, Christ, heaven and eternal life, 
we have learned through the testimony of the scrip- 
tures, hence David says : ‘The testimony of the 
Lord is sure, making wise the simple.’ Where tes- 
timony begins, our faith begins, so far as it goes, our 
faith goes, and where it stops our faith stops. We 
believe Moses just so far as he spoke or wrote, but 
when he recorded his last fact and testified his last 
truth, our faith in him terminates. We can follow 
him from the time he was laid in his little ark of 
bulrushes and pushed out upon the waters of the 
Nile, by the loving hands of an alfectionate mother, 
until he died upon Pisgah’s heights and was buried 
in the valley beneath by God’s own hand. Here 
the testimony stops, here the dark curtain falls and 
here our faith in Moses ends, and we know no 
more about him, save when the Apostles testified 
that his fourteen hundred years of undisturbed 
slumber in Moab’s quiet valley was broken, and 
God called him to the top of another mountain, but 
not to look across to a land promised to Abraham’s 
children, but to gaze upon the face of the Prince of 
Peace and to lay his credentials at the feet of the 
Saviour of the world. Here the testimony stops. 


A FIRM RESOLVE 


221 . 


the curtain falls and our faith is ended. We will 
know no more about this good and great man of 
God, until the veil is lifted and we enter the Eternal 
City of God, see his face and hear from his own 
lips, the story of ‘From the Nile to the Mountain of 
Death.’ 

“So it is with our faith in God. Just to the ex- 
tent that we have learned of Him, let it be through 
'Others, by reading Revelation or learning of Him 
by listening to his voice in nature as He speaks to 
us, through the towering mountains, the smiling 
landscape or the beating of the restless seas. So 
far as we have received His testimony so far our 
‘faith goes. But says one, ‘That would make all of 
our faith, historical faith.’ What other kind of 
faith is there? I read of but one kind in my Bible, 
and that is the kind which comes by hearing. John 
says : ‘These were written that ye might believe.’ 
Paul says : ‘The things that were afore time were 
written for our learning.’ And again he says : ‘There 
is one faith.’ The one faith that the Bible tells us 
about, is the one which comes by hearing the testi- 
mony of the Prophets and Apostles. I know that 
some people and even some preachers try to read 
two kinds of faith from the scriptures. They call 
one ‘Historical faith,’ and the other ‘Saving faith.’ 
Neither Jesus nor His Apostles knew anything 
about two kinds of faith. The truth is, all faith is 
historical faith and all faith is saving faith if we 
have enough of it. 

“But says another author, ‘If our faith comes by 
testimony, how do you account for the different 
effects that it has upon us? I believe there is a city 
called London. I have never seen it, but from re- 
liable witnesses, I am assured there is such a place 
in existence, but my faith in this fact, has no effect 


222. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

faith, and have heard the preachers exhorting them 
to ‘Just pray on,’ saying, ‘God will send His Spirit 
and give you faith,’ and at the same time they are 
not offering one word of testimony to produce faith 
in their hearts. The poor misinformed penitent 
prays on, thinking that their loud begging and cry- 
ing will cause God to ‘give them faith.’ They do 
not have faith when they ask for it, for surely they 
would not pray so earnestly for that which they 
already have. James says: ‘Let him ask in faith, 
nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a 
wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 
For let not that man think that he shall receive any- 
thing of the Lord.’ As they ask for faith and wouU 
not knowingly ask for that which they had already 
received, it follows that they have not faith, and 
cannot ask in faith ; therefore, let them not think 
they shall receive anything of the Lord. Again, 
‘Whatsoever is not of faith is sin.’ Then, as they 
pray for faith and have it not, their prayers cannot 
be of faith, and as ‘Whatsoever is not of faith is 
sin,’ it follows that God does not answer such pray- 
ers and as they are offered without faith, all such 
prayers are sin. One may object to this reasoning 
and ask, ‘What must the penitent do?’ Better ask, 
‘What must the preacher do?’ Let him do just like 
Peter did on the day of Pentecost. He had about 
three thousand ‘mourners’ there, and they all ‘got 
through’ and Peter did not tell one of them to ‘just 
pray on,’ but he preached Christ to them, and when 
they ‘heard this,’ they said : ‘Men and brethren, 
what shall we do?’ Peter did not say: ‘You are un- 
der deep conviction, just keep on praying,’ but he 
told them what they must do in order to be saved, 
by commanding them to ‘Repent and be baptized 
every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for 


A FIRM RESOLVE 


223 . 


a lost sh-eep and the other a lost child. So it is with 
our faith in Christ. It is not in the way we hear 
about Jesus, that causes us to reverence His name. 
Xo, we learn of Him in the same way that we hear 
of everything else, but the awe and reverence are 
contained in the proposition believed. He is no 
ordinary person. He is the Christ the Son of God. 
He is the one who swung the sun into space and 
set the moon in her cycles. It is He who watches 
over the sparrows and clothes the lilies of the val- 
leys. It is He who lifted the yoke from the human 
race, took the sting from death and fear from the 
grave. It is He who has gone to prepare ‘man- 
sions’ for us and offers a life of perpetual joy. No 
wonder our faith in Him causes us to feel a sense 
of awe and reverence His Holy Name. 

“What is the office of faith'. Does its mere ex- 
istence in the heart bring us the remission of sins 
and our acceptance with God, or is it our faith, to- 
gether with what it leads us to feel and do? If it is 
faith alone that saves us, then it is the mere exist- 
ence of faith in our hearts, but if such be the case, 
we are mere machines, and can act only as we are 
acted upon. According to the “Salvation by faith 
only’ position, if we are saved, God must save us 
and that, too, without any effort of our own. But 
if we are lost, whose fault is it? It can’t be ours, 
because we can’t do anything to save ourselves, and 
if the faith alone doctrine be true, God is respon- 
sible for the damnation of the sinner. But our Bi- 
ble nowhere teaches that we are saved by faith 
alone, but it does teach, that faith, together with that 
which it leads us to feel and do, brings to us the re- 
mission of our sins. James says: ‘Faith without 
-works is dead, being alone.’ Peter says: We 
‘purify our soul by obeying the truth.’ Now let us 


224. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

open our Bibles and see if it is the mere existence o£ 
faith in our hearts that brings to us our blessings^ 
or that which it leads us to feel and do. 

“In the eleventh chaper of the Hebrew letter, the 
Apostle speaks of faith and how the Old Testament 
saints, secured so many blessings by it. He says 
‘By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent 
sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness 
that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: 
and by it he being dead yet speaketh.’ Let us look, 
at this example of faith, two thoughts are brought 
out in this verse. First, Abel had faith, and sec- 
ond, God blessed him. Question: Was it the mere 
existence of faith in his heart that brought him the 
blessing, or was it his faith and works combined?' 
In other words, would God have blessed him, had 
he not offered his sacrifice .f' I think not. The 
Apostle says, God testified of his gift. He had' 
faith in God, and showed his faith by his works. 
Why was Cain’s sacrifice rejected? Was it because- 
he did not have faith? I hardly think so. The very 
fact that he offered a sacrifice, proved that he had 
faith, but he failed to obey. He offered the wrong 
kind of a sacrifice. He did like too many are doing 
now, he substituted something for God’s word. Let 
us hear what John says about Cain and Abel : ‘For 
this is the message that ye heard from the begin- 
ning, that ye should love one another. Not as Cain, 
who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother, 
and wherefore, slew he him? Because his own 
works were evil and his brother’s were righteous.^ 
The Apostle says nothing about their faith here, but 
is talking about their works. One was good and the- 
other evil. If Abel had offered no sacrifice at all, 
he would have had no ‘righteous works’ to his 
credit and God could not have testified to his gifts,. 


A FIRM RESOLYE 


22o. 


or could we hear his voice speaking through his-' 
good works six thousand years after he is dead? 

“Again, ‘By faith Enoch was translated that he 
should not see death ; and was not found, because 
God had translated him ; for before his translation 
he had this testimony, that he pleased God.' Why 
did God take him? Just because faith existed in 
his heart? No, Moses says: ‘He walked with God.’ 
We see that he was translated not because he be- 
lieved only, but because he believed and walked 
with God.’ 

“Once more, ‘By faith Xoah, being warned of 
God of things not seen at yet, moved with fear, pre- 
pared an ark to the saving of his house ; by the 
which he condemned the world, and became heir of 
the righteousness which is by faith.’ Was N’oah 
saved from drowning in the flood just because he 
believed? Was it faith only that saved his fam- 
ily? No, but he was saved because he believed 
and worked. Paul says : ‘He prepared an ark to the 
saving of his house.’ These examples are sufficient 
to show that it is not faith only by which we are 
saved. It is not the mere existence of faith in the 
heart that saves us, but it is faith, together with that 
which it leads us to do and feel, that brings to us 
our blessings.” 

“Tomorrow evening we will discuss the subject 
of Repentence,’’ continued the young engineer, as 
he bade them good night. 


226. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 


CHAPTER XVIL 

RIGHTING THU WRONGS. 

Another beautiful day in the early spring had 
passed, the moon had risen high above the moun- 
tains, and the dark shades of a cool still evening, 
had settled behind the trees and hills and were 
shrouding in a semi-darkness, every object which 
was hidden from the bright rays of the Queen of 
night, as the occupants of the old mountain man- 
sion seated themselves in one of its cozy rooms. 

“Mr. Newman,” said Miss Silvey, “surely the 
hand of God is in all of this. He has led me out of 
darkness and superstition of unscriptural Catholi- 
cism, by your steady nerve and accurate aim rescued 
me from the teeth of that terrible brute, delivered 
me from the deceiving hand of Sectarianism, saved 
me from the poisoned doctrine of an unChristlike 
Mormonism and has sent me a friend to teach me 
the way of the Lord more perfectly.” 

“If I have been instrumental in the hand of God^ 
in bringing you all of these blessings, I feel grate- 
ful to Him. But our work is not complete. We 
have not as yet learned how to become a child of 
God, and I fear that after we have read ourselves 
into the position of the true Church of Christ, we 
will have to stand alone in the world. None of 
the denominations, with which I have any acquaint- 
ance, advocate the whole truth, so far as I have been 
able to learn. They seem to take great pride in 
wearing human names and subscribing to mam 


RIGHTING THE WRONGS. 227. 

•made doctines/’ said the young engineer, as he 
turned his eyes toward the young lady, whose af- 
fectionate gaze was firmly fixed upon him. 

“After you have learned what God’s truth is and 
if you do not succeed in finding a body of people 
who advocate the doctrine of Christ as it was taught 
by the Apostles, into which denomination will you 
.go?” she asked. 

“Miss Silvey,” he said firmly, “a denomination is 
not the whole, but only a part of a thing, and you 
can not have a part without making a division in 
the whole. All of the denominations, while they 
.contain thousands’ of good and honest people, yet 
each one has caused a division in the Body of 
Christ and divisions are wrong. The Apostle says : 
“Let there be no division among you,’ and Jesus 
prayed that His people may all be one. If I should 
case my lot with a church that wears an unscrip- 
tural name, subscribes to a human discipline and 
advocates man-made doctrines, I would be giving 
strength to and upholding the very things which 
Jesus and His Apostles condemned, by giving my 
sanction to and helping build up the unscriptural 
walls that divide God’s people. No, I shall never 
•go into a denomination or wear a human name, but 
f shall take my stand upon the Bible, 'speak where 
it speaks and be silent where it is silent,’ wear no 
name but Christ’s, advocate no doctrine but His, 
invite all men to come and sit down with me at 
the feet of the Prince of Peace, open our Bibles and 
learn of Him. If I am wrong, I shall ask them to 
set me right, and if they are wrong, I shall not ask 
them to come to me, but to come to the Bible and 
I will meet them there.” 

“I see where you are right on that proposition 
;and you may rest assured you will not have to 


'228. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 


5tand alone. Mrs. W. and myself, and I am almost 
confident that Miss Silvey will join you in your 
worthy endeavor to contend earnestly for the faith 
that was once delivered to the saints. We are 
doubly anxious for you to begin your investigation 
this evening, that we may learn the truth as it is 
in Christ Jesus,” said Mr. W. 

“In our Bible investigation, I think we have ar- 
rived at the proper time and place in our search 
for the truth, from which to consider the subject 
of Repentance. That this is an important subject 
.and occupies a very prominent place among the 
other conditions of Christ’s gospel, no candid Bi- 
ble reader will or can deny. The frequency of its 
use in the scripture, warrants the conclusion that 
Christ has made it one of the indispensable condi- 
ditions of pardon. When John the Baptist came 
to make ready a people prepared for the Lord, he 
:said to the Jews, many of whom were steeped in 
rsin and unrighteousness : ‘Repent, for the kingdom 
of heaven is at hand.’ When Jesus sent the twelve 
to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, ‘They went 
out and preached that men should repent.’ After 
Jesus was raised from the dead, He said: ‘Repent- 
ance should be preached in His name, beginning at 
Jerusalem. On the day of Pentecost, when the 
Apostles began operations under the new and 
^very creature commission, when three thousand be- 
lievers cried out : ‘Men and brethren, what shall 
we do?’ Peter said, ‘Repent and be baptized every 
one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the re- 
mission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the 
Holy Ghost. When the Jews saw that salvation 
Iiad been offered to the Gentiles, they glorified God, 
saying, then hath God also to the Gentiles granted 
repentance unto life.’ Seeing, then, that repent- 


RIGHTING THE WRONGS. 


229 . 


.ance occupies such an important position in the 
gospel plan of salvation, it becomes necessary for 
us to find Bible answers to the following questions : 
1st, What is repentance? 2nd, What is its place or 
order in the gospel? 3rd, How does it come? 4th, 
What is its design? , 

“Repentance means more than regret. Its use in 
the New Testatment always indicates a change of 
mind from wrong to that which is right, suffi- 
^ciently strong to establish the fact that a genuine 
Godly sorrow for past sins and a desire to reform 
the life, break off all evil habits and live a life void 
■of sin, so far as possible, have preceded it. True 
repentance in the sight of God means to, as far as 
one's ability goes, make right that which he once 
made wrong. No man can truly repent slandering 
his neighbor, when he refuses to correct the false 
•statements concerning, and arrest the evil influence 
that would harm him, whom he had been slander- 
ing. In vain can we repent of stealing from a man, 
and continue to use, without his consent, the thing 
which we had unlawfully taken. 

“This principle of making right that which we 
-once made wrong and making full restitution for 
goods or lands illegally secured, bears the sanction 
•of both the Old and New Testaments. To make 
•good our assertion, we will give one example from 
each Book. Moses said: ‘When a man or a woman 
shall commit any sin that men commit, to do a tres- 
pass against the Lord, and that person be guilty; 
then they shall confess their sins which they have 
done : and he shall recompense his trespass with the 
principle thereof, and add unto it the fifth part 
thereof, and give it unto him against whom he has 
trespassed. But if the man have no kinsman to 
recompense the trespass unto, let the trespass be 


230. PROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 


recompensed unto the Lord, even to the priest; 
beside the ram of atonement, whereby an atonement 
shall be made for him.’ This teaches that a tres- 
pass committed against a man, was no less so, an 
offense against God, and it was not only necessary 
to make a recompense to him, on whom he had 
trespassed, but it was obligatory on the part of the 
offender to add a fifth thereto and if he could not 
find the party to whom the trespass was due, he 
should make it to his kindred, and if they could not 
be located, he was to make his recompense to the 
Lord through the priest. There was not then, 
neither is there now, any appeal from this principle. 
No wonder Jesus said: ‘Except ye repent, ye shall 
all likewise perish.’ 

“During the sojourn of Jesus on earth. He came 
to a tree in which was a very small man in stature 
but who had become the possessor of a great many 
ill-gotten goods. But Jesus, not respecting his high 
standing in social or financial circles, said unto 
him: ‘Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down ; for 
today I must abide at thy house.’ Zacchaeus came 
down and said unto the Lord : ‘Behold, Lord, the 
half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have 
taken anything from any man by false accusation, I 
restore him fourfold.’ Then Jesus said unto him: 
‘This day is salvation come to this house, for so 
much as he also is a son of Abraham.’ This pass- 
^age of scripture teaches us that Jesus sanctioned 
of making restitution for that whic hwas unlaw- 
fully secured, even to the fourth fold. 

“Once more, Jesus said to a distinguished law- 
yer : ‘Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself,’ and 
to His disciples : ‘Whatsoever ye would that men 
should do to you, do you even so to them.’ We 
would not like for men to steal from us or in any 


RIGHTING THE WRONGS. 


231 . 


way be mistreated by them, then let us treat them- 
just as we would have them treat us. 

“We have a definition of repentance given us ia. 
the Bible, which will make this matter, if possible,, 
more plain. On one occasion Jesus said: *The men 
of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this gener- 
ation, and shall condemn it, because they repented 
at the preaching, of Jonas; and, behold, a greater 
than Jonas is here.’ Jesus here says that the Nin- 
eveh repented at the preaching of Jonas; if we can 
learn what the Ninevites did, we will known what 
Jesus meant by repentance. Let us turn and read 
the tenth verse of the third ’chapter of Jonah: ‘And 
God saw their works that they turned from their 
evil way ; and God repented of the evil, that He had 
said that He would do unto them ; and He did it 
not.’ We learn from this that it was more than 
regret, that it was a turning from their evil way.. 
Jesus called this repentance. 

“What is the^ order or place of repentance in 
the gospel plan of salvation? In a few places in the 
New Testament, repentance is mentioned before 
faith and a great many good people take it as prima 
facie evidence that repentance precedes faith. For- 
the sake of arriving at the truth as it is laid down 
in the New Testament, we will examine a few pas- 
sages of scripture which speak of repentance before 
faith to see if they will support such a doctrine. 

“The first one that we will notice is found in 
fourteenth and fifteenth verses of the first chapter 
of Mark. They read as follows: ‘Now after John, 
was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preach- 
ing the gospel of the Kingdom of God, and saying, 
the time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is 
at hand: repent ye and believe the gospel.’ Were- 
these people to believe the same gospel that w^s^ 


232. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

alluded to in the great commission and that we are 
to believe today? I think not. Let us hear Jesus: 
H have yet many things to say unto you, but yoa 
con not bear them now. Howbeit when he, the 
Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all 
truth : for he shall not speak of himself ; but what* 
soever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he 
shall show you things to come.' We notice from 
this that they were not to believe the gospel as *it 
was revealed on the day of Pentecost, because the 
Spirit had not come to guide them into all truth 
and therefoer they could not believe that which had. 
not been revealed. What gospel were they to be- 
lieve? The glad tidings, the good news that the 
Kingdom of God was at hand. But why should 
they repent before they could believe? Because they 
were Jews who had faith in God and before Jesus, 
came, they had been breaking the law (Law of 
Moses) under which they had been iliving and 
when Jesus came they could not be His disciples- 
until they had repented of the sins they had already 
committed, hence He commanded them to repent 
and believe the gospel, yes, repent of having broken 
the Law of God and believe the gospel, the good 
tidings. Again to the Ephesians Paul preached: 
‘Repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus- 
Christ.’ Says one, this was after Pentecost, what 
gospel did Paul have reference to? The Ephesians 
had previous faith in God, but had violated His law 
and must repent toward God for the sins they had 
committed before Jesus introduced His gospel to- 
the world. Toward Him they are directed, because they 
had sinned against Him before the gospel reign. 

“If repentance precedes faith, it can not be of 
faith, and is therefore sin. Paul says : 'Without 
faith it is impossible to please Him, for he that 


RIGHTING THE WRONGS. 


233 . 


someth to God must believe that He is and is a 
.rewarder of them that diligently seek him.’ If re- 
pentance precedes faith, it is without faith and 
hence cannot be pleasing to God, neither could it be 
a righteous work, as the Apostle says: ‘Whatsoever 
is not of faith is sin.’ 

“Let us examine one case of repentance in order, 
if possible, to determine if it precedes or follows 
-faith. We have already learned that Jesus said the 
-Ninevites repented at the preaching of Jonah. We 
will examine this case, as no one will doubt that 
it is a genuine case of conversion, since Jesus said: 
‘They repented at the preaching of Jonas.’ . It reads 
as follows : ‘And Jonah began to enter into the ci 
a (lay’s journey, and he cried and said, yet forty 
days and Nineveh shall be overthrown.’ Here we 
have the preaching of Jonah. Let us see what fol- 
lowed. Did they believe or repent first? If they 
repented first, then the theory that teaches repentance 
before faith is right, but if they believe first, the theory 
is wrong. Let us read the next verse: ‘So the people of 
Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put 
on sack-cloth, from the greatest of them even to the 
least of them.’ This verse tells us that the people be- 
lieved God,’ l)Ut there is nothing said about their 
repentance. It says they proclaimed a fast and put 
on sackcloth. No one will contend that fasting or 
dressing in sackcloth is repentance. But granting 
that some do call that repentance, it will do them 
no good here as the people believed God, before 
they proclaimed the fast or put on sackcloth. Let 
us read on and see just when they did repent. ‘For 
word came unto the King of Nineveh, and he arose 
from his llirone, and he laid his robe from him, and 
covered him with sackcloth and sat in ashes. And 


234. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

:he causi=-ti it to be proclaimed and published through 
Nineveli the decree of the king and h:s nobles, 
-saying, let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, 
taste anything : let them not feed, nor drink water 
but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, 
and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every 
one from his evil way, and from violence that is in 
their hands. Who can tell if God will turn and re- 
pent, and turn away from His fierce anger, that we 
perish not? And God saw their works, that they 
turned from their evil way; and God repented of the 
evil, that He had said that He would do unto them; 
and He did it not.’ Here is their repentance, they 
turned from their evil way. We can easily see the 
-order of events. First, Jonah’s preaching; second, 
they heard ; third, they believed God’s message as 
was preached by Jonah; fourth, they turned from 
their evil way. Hearing is not repentance, believing 
'is not, putting on sackcloth is not, but turning from 
their evil way is repentance, and as this did not pre- 
cede their believing, but followed it, we conclude 
that the order or place of repentance in the gospel 
plan of salvation, is to follow instead of coming 
before faith. 

On the day of Pentecost, the order was the same. 
Peter preached, the people heard, believed, were cut 
to the heart and asked what to do. Peter told them 
to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus 
Christ, for the remission of sins. Why did not 
Peter tell them to believe? Because they were 
already believers, they were pricked to the heart. 
Why did he not tell them to repent and believe the 
gospel? Because the great commission was then 
in force and the order as it is laid down in the gos- 
pel, is faith, repentance and baptism, and Peter 
»did just what every preacher should do, preach the 


RIGHTING THE WRONGS 


235 . 


gospel as it is written. 

“How does repentance come? We will refer you. 
to just one passage of scripture, and we think it 
so plain that there is no use of referring to any 
others. Paul says : ' ‘Or despisest thou the riches- 
of his goodness and forebearance and long suffer- 
ing; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth 
thee to repentance?’ How true and how plain is 
this. When we think of ourselves as mere worms 
of earth, sinful and unworthy, and then when we 
think about the goodness of God in sending His 
only begotten Son to die for us. When we think of 
the love and kindness He has shown to fallen man. 
When we think of such motives as the death of 
Christ, the joys of heaven, and the sweet fellow- 
ship of the redeemed, surely such goodness is 
enough to cause us to turn from our evil way and 
live for God and right. A repentance that the good- 
ness of God does not lead us to, is not the kind 
that God will accept. 

“What is the design of repentance? Peter tells 
us. He couples it with baptism and says they are 
for the remission of sins. Let us accept the gospel 
just as it is written.” 

“We will resume our investigation tomorrow eve- 
ning,” continued the young engineer, as he rose and 
went to his room. 


236. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 


CHAPTER XVIII 

A BURIAL. 

The next eveninig Clyde joined the family in Mr.. 
W’s room and began the discussion by saying: 

“The subject which claims our attention this even- 
ing, is that of baptism. This subject is one about 
which there has been a great deal of disputing and 
debating among the polemics of the present day 
denominations. Xumbers of learned men have given 
to the world, what they w^ould call a correct solution 
of the question, but unfortunately, their answers 
differ as wide as the seas. They may all be honest 
and conscientious, but regardless of their great 
learning and sincerity some of them are bound to 
be wrong, and for this reason it would not be wis- 
dom on our part to accept as infallibly correct the 
position of any of them, as we might, in that way, 
be led away from the truth instead of to it. In our 
investigation we will go back beyond the writers 
and teachers of the present, take the Bible and writ- 
ings o.f the early Christians and from them learn 
the answers to the following questions : 1st. What 
is baptism? 2d. AVho should be baptized? 3d. 
What is the design of baptism? 

“1st. What is baptism and how is it adminis- 
tered? In regard to this question, let us turn to 
the Bible and see how the apostles baptized. The 
first example we have is that of our blessed Lord. 
Let us hear what ^Matthew says about how He was 
baptized: ‘Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jbr- 


A BURRIAL. 


237 . 


dan unto John, to be baptized. But John forbade- 
Him, saying, I have need to be baptized of Thee, 
and comest Thou to me? And Jesus answered and. 
said unto Him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it 
becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he 
suffered Him. And Jesus, when He was baptized,, 
went up straightway out of the water : and lo, the 
heavens were opened unto Him, and He saw the 
Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighted 
upon Him : and lo, a voice from heaven, saying. 
This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. 
This teaches us that Jesus, in whose steps we should 
follow, when He was baptized, came straightway 
up out of the water. Jesus was down in the water, 
otherwise He could not have come up out of it. 
When I am baptized, I want to follow in His steps, 
and whatever we decide that baptism is, I shall 
never consent to obey this commandment, save in 
a river or pool, where, when I am baptized, I can, 
like my Savior, ‘come straightway up out of the 
water. ’ Once more, Luke says : ‘i\nd the angel 
of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying. Arise, and 
go toward the south, unto the way that goeth down 
from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. And 
he rose and went: and behold, a man of Ethiopia, 
a eunuch of great authoriW under Candace, Queen 
of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her 
treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, 
was returning, and sitting in his chariot, read Esias 
the Prophet. When the Spirit said unto Philip, 
Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. And 
Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the 
prophet Esias, and said, Understandest thou what 
thou readest? And he said. How can I, except 
some man should guide me? And he desired Philip 
that he would come up and sit with him. The place 


238. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 


of the Scripture which he read was this, He was led. 
as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb 
before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth/ 
Philip got up in the chariot and preached Christ to 
the eunuch, and when they came to a certain water 
the eunuch said to Philip : 'See, here is water : what 
doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said,, 
if thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. 
And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus 
Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the 
chariot to stand still ; and they went down both, 
into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and 
he baptized him. And when they were come up 
out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught 
away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more : 
and he went on his way rejoicing.’ We call at- 
tention to the two prepositions, 'unto’ and 'into.’’ 
Had there been anything substituted for immer- 
sion, the last preposition would have been super- 
fluous. There would have been no need to have 
gone down into the water, had immersion not been 
required. 'They came unto a certain water’ — that 
brought them to the water s edge — and 'they went 
down into the water.’ Note that both the preacher 
and candidate went down into the water, and 
Philip baptized him, and they both came up out of 
the water. Before the baptism they went down 
into the water and after the baptism they came up 
out of the water. Now, whatever was done while 
they were in the water, was baptism, and the only 
baptism that should be recognized today. What 
did they do while they were in the water? Luke 
says, ‘He baptized him.’ How are we baptized? 
Let Paul answer. He says, 'Therefore we are 
buried with him by baptism into death: that like 


A BURRIAL. 


239 . 


as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory 
*of the Father, even so we also should walk in the 
newness of life.’ The great and good John Wesley, 
in commenting on this verse of Scripture said : ‘We 
are buried with him — alluding to the ancient man- 
ner of baptizing by immersion : that as Christ was 
raised up from the dead by the glorious power of 
the Father, so we also, by the same power, should 
rise again, and, as He lives a new life in heaven, 
:SO we should walk in the newness of life. This, says 
the Apostle, our very baptism represents to us.’ — 
Wesley’s notes on Romans 6:4. Mosheim, in speak- 
ing of baptism as it was practiced in the first cen- 
tury, says: ‘In this country baptism was adminis- 
tered in convenient places, not in the public assem- 
blies, and by immersing the candidates wholly in 
water.’ Mosheim’s Church History, page 44. 

“It is said that Hennas lived in the days of the 
Apostles and wrote before John wrote his gospel. 
He says : ‘Before anyone receives the name of the 
Son of God, he is liable to death, but when he 
receives that seal he is delivered from death and 
is assigned to life. Now, that seal is water, into 
which persons go down liable to death, but come 
out of it assigned to life.’ Brent’s Gospel Plan of 
Salvation, page 367. Here we see the early Chris- 
tians went down into and came up out of the water, 
just as Philip and the eunuch did, and just as we 
do today when we are buried with Christ in bap- 
tism. 

“Barnabas was the companion of Paul. He says : 
‘For these words imply. Blessed are they who, 
placing their trust in the cross, have gone down 
into the water. This meaneth that we, indeed, de- 
scend into the water full of sin and defilement, but 
^come up, bearing fruit in our heart, having the fear 


240. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

•of God and trust in Jesus in our spirit.’ Brent’s 
Gospel Plan of Salvation, page 367. 

‘'A few things which we know: We know that 
Jesus, when He was baptized, came straightway up 
out of the water. We know that He came to leave 
us an example, that we should follow in His steps. 
We know that during the days of the Apostles, 
the preacher and the candidate both went down 
into the water. (Philip and the eunuch both went 
down into the water.) ^\' e know that we are buried 
with Christ in baptism. We know that Paul, in 
speaking of baptism, called it a planting. We 
knovv^ that there are very few, if any, who doubt 
immersion being baptism. We know that there are 
millions who say that nothing but immersion is 
baptism. We know that there are numbers of 
preachers who preach and practice other so-called 
baptisms, who are themselves and families im- 
mersed. We know that this would not be true., 
were there not some doubt that sprinkling and 
pouring are right. We know that immersion is 
conceded to, be right by all scholars. We know it 
is all right, that it is safe. I want to be on the safe 
.side, and therefore I will be immersed. 

‘‘2d. Who should be baptized? This, like al- 
most every other question relative to Christ’s king- 
dom, is answered in different ways. Some claim 
the Bible teaches that only those who are compe- 
tent of hearing and believing the truth are scrip- 
tural subjects of baptism ; while others claim the 
Bible teaches that the unbelieving infants of be- 
lieving parents are subjects of baptism. I do cheer- 
fully admit that among the latter named class there 
are thousands of good, honest and intelligent peo- 
ple ; but, as the same can be said of the former, 
and as we can see at a glance that they cannot 


A BURRIAL. 


241 . 


both be right, it follows that some who are good, 
honest and intelligent are wrong in their views. 
As to the first theory, there is no Christian who 
does not believe that the person who has heard 
the gospel, believed in it, and has repented of his 
or her sins that should not be baptized. Why is 
this true? Because there is a plain scriptural com- 
mand to that effect. Jesus said to His Apostles: 
‘Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to 
every creature. He that believeth and is baptized 
shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be 
damned.’ This is plain — no one doubts or denies 
it; but is the believer the only person who is en- 
titled to the rights of baptism? Some say yes. 
and others say no — that the unbelieving infants of 
believing parents should be baptized. This may be 
true, and it may not; if it is the Bible will say so, 
and if it is not, it will be silent on the subject, 
and where it is silent, we should be silent. Jesus 
said : ‘Howbeit, in vain do they worship Me, teach- 
ing for doctrines the commandments of men.’ If 
infant baptism is not taught in the Bible, it is a 
'‘commandment of men,’ and he that practices it is 
worshipping God in vain. 

“If infant baptism is taught in the Bible, it must 
be by the command of Christ or some one speak- 
ing by inspiration, by example or inference. We 
know that Jesus or His Apostles never commanded 
it, the Apostles never practiced it, and nowhere in 
the scriptures is the thought implied. To find any 
authority for it at all, we must go outside of the 
Bible and ask some of its advocates. The first 
witness we will call will be Martin Luther. He 
says: ‘It can not be proved by the sacred scrip- 
tures that infant baptism was instituted by Christ 
or began by the first Christians after the Apostles.’ 


242. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

Brent’s Gospel Plan of Salvation, page 394. Let 
us now call Henry Ward Beecher to the stand and 
hear his testimony. He is quoted in the Louisville 
Debate, page 173, as saying: ‘That he, had no 
authority from the Bible for the baptism of in- 
fants, and that he wanted none; that he had better 
authority for it than if even the Bible commanded 
it ; that he had tried it, and knew from actual ex- 
perience that it was a good thing; he had the same 
divine authority for it that he had for making an 
ox-yoke — worked well — and, therefore, it was from 
God.’ Brent’s Gospel Plan of Salvation, page 396. 
We learn from the foregoing that the New Testa- 
ment does not authorize infant baptism and those 
who practice it are honest enough to say that it 
does not. It is a ‘commandment of men.’ 

3rd. “What is the design of baptism ? This, like the 
two questions which we have just discussed, seems 
to be a rock upon which a great many theological 
crafts are being dashed to pieces, as they are driven 
and tossed by the winds and waves of doctrines, 
other than that which bears the divine sanction. 
The lack of time will prohibit our entering into a 
lengthy discussion of this question, but we will see 
what Jesus and His Apostles said baptism is for, 
and surely there is no one who will reject their 
teaching on this question. 

“We will first notice what Jesus said about it, 
hear his own words: ‘Except a man be born of 
water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the 
kingdom of God.’ That our Savior had reference 
to baptism is admitted by nearly all scholars. He 
plainly says that we cannot enter into the kingdom 
of God unless we are born of water and the Spirit, 
thus placing baptism between us and heaven and 
making it one of the conditions to be complied with 


A BURRIAL. 


243 . 


before we can enjoy the forgiveness of our sins. 
Let us turn to Acts the second chapter and thirty- 
eighth verse and see if Christ’s position will har- 
monize with the words of Peter, when he preached 
the first gospel sermon and gave the answer to the 
first penitent sinners, who ask what they must do, 
after the New Will was confirmed by the blood of 
Christ and after Jesus was made the Testator of 
the New Covenant. What did Peter tell them to 
do? Let us read both the question and the an- 
swer : ‘Now when they heard this, they were 
pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to 
the rest of the Apostles, Men and brethren, what 
shall we do? Then Peter answered and said unto 
them, Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, 
in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of 
your sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy 
Ghost.’ Some Bible readers and even preachers tell 
us that the preposition ‘for’ looks to the past and 
means ‘because of the remission of your sins.’ But 
this is not true, from the fact that the preposition 
‘for’ is translated from the Greek word ‘eis,’ and 
is never used in a retrospective way, but it always 
looks to the future. It means that we are bap- 
tized unto the remission of sins. In the twenty- 
eighth verse of the twenty-sixth chapter of Mat- 
thew, Jesus says: ‘For this is my blood of the 
New Testament, which is shed for many for the 
remission of sins.’ Jesus says His ‘blood is shed 
for the remission of sins.’ The preposition ‘for’ in 
this passage is from the Greek word ‘eis,’ and is 
used in almost the same kind of a sentence and has 
for its object the , same as that in Acts. If Jesus 
shed His blood, in order to effect the remission of 
sins, then baptism as it was commanded by Peter 


244. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 


is for the same purpose, but if it is not, and is, as 
some people teach, because their sins were par- 
doned, then Jesus did not shed His blood in order 
to ‘the remissipn of sins,’ but because sin had al- 
ready been blotted out. Both ‘fors’ are translated 
from the same word ‘eis,’ and have the same mean- 
ing. Did Jesus shed His blood in order to ‘the 
remission of sins’? If so, baptism is in order to 
‘the remission of sins.’ 

“Again, the remission of sins, gift of the Holy 
Spirit and all other spiritual blessings are in Christ,, 
and in order for us to secure them we must get 
into Him, and I know of no other way by which 
we can get into Him than to be baptized into Him. 
Paul says: ‘For as many of you as have been bap- 
tized into Christ have put on Christ.’ 

“We have seen that baptism is a burial. That 
Jesus and the eunuch, when they were baptized, 
came up out of the water, that believers only are- 
scriptural subjects of baptism, and that it is in 
order to the remission of sins. 

“Now let us see what the Church was called dur- 
ing the days of the Apostles. Let us go to the 
‘law -and the testimony.’ In the New Testament 
we find various names by which the Church is- 
called. It is known as : (a) Church of God, (b) 

The Church of the Firstborn, (c) One Body, (d) 
The Pillar and Support of the Truth; and, when 
the local congregations are referred to, they are 
called Churches of Christ. 

“What were the members of the Church of Christ 
called during the days of the Apostles? Let us 
take our Bibles and let Luke, Peter, John and Paul 
tell us in their own words just what they named 
the people of God. They were called : (a) Saints, 

(1)) Children of God, (c) Heirs of God, (d) Breth- 


A BURRIAL. 


245 . 


ren, (e) Sons of God, (f) Disciples, and (g) Chris- 
tians. 

“Each one of these names has its significance, in 
relation to each other they were brethren, in their 
relation to God they were saints, sons of God and 
heirs of God ; as followers and learners of Jesus, 
they were disciples. The name Christian is the 
broad name that includes all of God’s people. The 
Lord, speaking through His prophet and looking to 
the ‘new and living way,’ said to the disobedient 
Jews, ‘And ye shall leave your name for a curse 
unto my chosen : for the Lord God shall slay thee, 
and call His servants by another name.’ Speaking 
again through the same prophet and being more 
definite as to time, said: 'And the Gentiles shall 
see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and 
thou shall be called by a new name, which the mouth 
of the Lord shall name.’ Notice that the ne^v name 
was to be given after the Gentiles had seen the 
righteousness of God. Now if we can locate the 
time when the Gentiles saw God’s righteousness, 
then we can look for the new name. About eight 
years after the first Pentecost after the resurrection 
of Christ, Cornelius prayed to the Lord and an 
angel came and told him to send to Joppa for Peter, 
who would tell him words whereby he and his 
house should be saved. Peter goes and preaches to 
them and they are all obedient to the faith. Cor- 
nelius was a Gentile, and hence they had seen His 
righteousness. Now let us look for the new name. 
As Saul was on his way to Damascus, the Lord ap- 
peared to him in the way and he was stricken blind, 
and the Lord told him to go into the city and it 
would be told him what he must do. The Lord then 
told Ananias to go to him, for he was a chosen vessel 
to bear his name to the Gentiles and kings of earth 


246. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 


and the children of Israel. Let us sum this up* 
and study it closely. We see that God’s people are 
to be called by a new name, that the Gentiles have 
seen His righteousness and that Saul is to bear the 
name. Now let us see what they were named: 
Following closely the conversion of Cornelius, Bar- 
nabas went to Tarsus to seek Saul and when he 
had found him he brought him to Antioch and he 
stayed there one year, and ‘The disciples were 
called Christians first at Antioch. Saul was to bear 
this worthy name, which he did, giving it to the 
church at Antioch first. May God help us to walk 
in the name of the Lord forever and ever.” 

“Mr. Newman,” said Mr. W., “you have been a 
Godsend to this home. I heartily agree with Miss^ 
Silvey, that you could serve the world better by 
obeying the gospel of Christ and working in the 
vineyard of the Lord than you can by piloting an 
engine from city to city. You have made the gospel 
plain, it harmonizes from Genesis to Revelation, 
and had I been so fortunate as to have had such 
teaching instead of the unrighteous and unholy 
claims of Catholicism and conflicting- theories of 
unscriptural demoninationalism, I would never 
have given a moment of my time to the advocacy 
of infidelity. If we can find a body of people who 
teach the gospel as we now- understand it, reject 
humanisms, ‘speak where the Bible speaks and be 
silent where it is silent,’ we will become identified 
with them at once.” 

“Our neighbor over here told me this afternoon,” 
said Miss Silvey, “that a Mr. T. will begin a meet- 
ing tomorrow evening at the Shady Grove School- 
house. I -asked her if he was a Mormon, and she 
said no, that there had never been anyone in this 
country who preached the same kind of a doctrine 


A BURRIAL. 


247 . 


that he does.” 

“I suspect that he is some kind of a sectarian or 
another Morman in sheep’s clothing. However, I 
suggest that we go and hear what he has to say,” 
continued the young engineer, as he started to his 
iroom. 


248. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 


CHAPTER XIX. 

TWICE HAPPY. 

“Miss Silvey and I have gone to hear ]\Ir. T. 
for the last three evenings,’' said Clyde Newman, 
while he and the family were seated at the break- 
fast table. 

“What is yonr opinion of him by this time?” 
asked Mr. W. 

“So far he has preached the truth, but not any 
more so than the Mormons did the first three ser- 
mons they preached,” said the young engineer, as 
he folded his napkin and laid it on the table, which 
was spread with snow^-white linen. 

“Do vou think he is a Mormon?” continued 
Mr. 

“No,” said the young hero, “I don’t think he is 
a Mormon, but it is rather a difficult matter to find 
out just what he is. I heard one man ask him the 
name of the denomination to which he belonged, 
and he said he was a member of none. And then 
lie went on to explain that denominationalism is 
not only wrong, but harmful, insomuch that it di- 
vides God’s people. He almost repeated my own 
words when I said the other evening that the word 
denomination means a part of a thing and cannot 
represent the whole. He said that God’s kingdom 
is a unit or an organism, that Christ prayed and 
the Apostles taught there should be no divisions 


TWICE HAPPY. 


249 . 


among the people of God, and as denominational- 
ism divides them, it follows that it is wrong and 
sinful. I walked up, thanked him for his timely 
words and told the story of my own struggles in 
trying to locate the Church of Christ. He told me 
he would preach on the ‘Identity of the Kingdom 
of God,’ this evening, and assured me he would 
speak only where the Bible speaks and give a ‘thus 
saith the Lord’ for every position he takes. I am 
half inclined to believe that God has answered our 
prayers by sending a true and faithful preacher of 
the word into our midst, though I may be mis- 
taken.” 

“]\Irs. \V. and I shall go this evening and hear 
him, but I am almost sure we will be disappointed. 
I can hardly think it probable that there is a man 
on earth who preaches the gospel just as it is writ- 
ten. I am of tlie opinion that this man is a ^lor- 
man, or some other kind of a sectarian,” said Hr. 
W.. as he pushed his chair from the table. 

“He may be,” said Clyde, “but let us not con- 
demn him until we know more about what he advo- 
cates. Jesus says we should judge not, lest we also 
be judged. Let us remember that the tree is known 
by its fruit. This man may be a true, faithful min- 
ister of God, or he may be another false prophet 
like Joe Smith or one of his deceived followers.” 

The hours passed slowly by, the sun had sunk 
behind the western hills and the full round moon 
was shining down its distant home far up in the 
deep blue sky, when ^Ir. W., his wife. Miss Silvey 
and Clyde drove up to the Shady Grove School- 
house, tied their horses and walked into the well- 
filled room. The people continued to crowd into 
the small building until every seat was occupied 
and the aisles were filled with, men and women whb 


250. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 


were anxious to hear Mr. T., preach his fourth 
sermon. The congregation sang two hymns that 
were followed by a prayer and another song, after 
which the preacher, a low, heavy, broad shouldered 
man with black hair and eyes, rose, looked for a 
minute over the congregation, and in a strong heavy 
voice spoke in part as follows: 

“Ladies and gentlemen, I am extremely glad of 
this opportunity to meet with you and talk for a 
short time about the things pertaining to the king- 
dom of God’s dear Son. 

“My subject this evening is ‘The Identity of the 
Kingdom or Church of Christ.’ I am fully aware 
of the fact that there are a great many theories 
and men differ widely as to what is the true church. 
Some try to prove, by an apostolic succession, that 
the denomination to which they belong is the 
Church of Christ. They affirm that they can show 
an unbroken chain, consisting of organized churches 
and ordained preachers, reaching back to the Apos- 
tles. We have not the time to enter into a lengthy 
discussion upon this division of our subject, but 
with due respect to those who believe such a the- 
ory, I will state just here that there is not a stand- 
ard or an authentic history on earth that will bear 
them out in such an assertion, and if there were it 
would do the advocates of the theory no good, 
seeing there are three or more denominations that 
make the same claim. It is not necessary that we 
have an apostolic succession, or go back down the 
bygone ages and dig up all of the old musty and 
unreliable histories to establish the identity of the 
Church of Christ. Do you ask why? Because we 
have the same evidence on this side of the dark 
ages that the Apostles and early Christians had on- 
the other side. The Book that we have is the same 


TWICE HAPPY. 


251 . 


-as the one that the first followers of Christ pos- 
sessed and contains an accurate account of the 
things which they believed, taught and practiced, 
and therefore if we want to be apostolic and iden- 
tify the Church of Christ, let us go to the New 
Testament, see to what institution they belonged, 
see what they believed, taught and practiced, and 
then let us find a church whose members believe 
what they believed, teach what they taught and 
practice what they practiced, and we will find the 
true Church of Christ. All of the histories on 
earth, bearing upon apostolic succession, unless 
they can show at this end of the chain, a church, 
the members of which wear the same name, be- 
lieve the same doctrine, practice the same things, 
-and make obligatory upon the part of the penitent 
sinner, to obey the same Divine commandments 
that the Apostles did, is a -failure, so far as evi- 
dence is concerned to identify the Church of Christ. 

‘‘Let us go to the New Testament and see what 
the Apostles believed, taught and practiced, and 
then let us believe what they believed, practice 
what they practiced, and teach what they taught, 
in order that we may belong to the true Church of 
Christ. 

“In the Ephesian letter, Paul says there is one 
body, one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 
one God and one Father over all. Let us take 
these up one by one and see if they will constitute 
the Church of Christ. 

“1st. One Body. What is the body? Let Paul 
answer: hear his words: ‘And He (Christ) is 
the head of the body, the church.’ Here Paul plain- 
ly states that the one body he mentioned in the 
Ephesian epistle is the Church of Jesus Christ. 
Whose body is the Church? Let us hear the Apos- 


252. PROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

# 

tie again: Who now rejoice in my sufferings for 
you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflic- 
tions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, 
which is the Church.’ By putting Paul’s two state- 
ments together, we learn that the Church or King- 
dom of God is the body of Christ. Who is in the 
one body? Every one who has obeyed the gospel 
of the Son of God. To be a member of the Church 
of Christ, we must obey the New Testament, but 
if we want to be anything else than a Christian 
let us not obey the Bible, as the Bible makes Chris- 
tians only. To illustrate: If I wished to be a 
Mormon, I would not obey the gospel of Christ, 
for it would make me a child of God instead of 
a follower of that false prophet, Joseph Smith; but 
in order to be a disciple of Joe Smith, I must obey 
the Mormon Bible and not the New Testament. 
Obedience to the Mormon Bible makes Mormons 
and not Christians, while obedience to the New Tes- 
tament makes Christians and not Mormons; and 
what is true of Mormonism is true of every other 
man-made doctrine. If I want to wear some name 
that the New Testament does not authorize, I must 
submit to a man-made confession or discipline. 
Brethren, let us obey the New Testament, that we 
may be members of the one Body, and when we 
have become Christians by obeying the gospel, let 
us stop there. Let us not accept some human name 
that God has never authorized, and that will di- 
vide His people, and thus add to the Bible. 

“2d. One Spirit. The one Spirit is the Holy 
Spirit that Jesus promised as a guide to the Apos- 
tles and a comfort to the Christians. He operates 
through the word. 


TWICE HAPPY. 


253 . 


‘'3d. One Lord. Jesus is the one Lord. He has 
ascended to heaven and been crowned King of 
kings and Lord of lords. 

“4th. One Faith. Faith is the conviction of 
things not seen and the confidence in things hoped 
for. This faith comes by hearing, and hearing by 
the word of God. 

“5th. One Baptism. Notwithstanding Paul says 
there is one baptism, some preachers claim therd 
are two and are, namely, the baptism of the Holy 
Spirit and the baptism of water. They both can 
not be retained in the Church of Christ today, as 
Paul says ‘One baptism.’ If the one baptism is 
the baptism of the Spirit, then all churches should 
cease to practice water baptism; but if it is the 
baptism of water, then those who claim to have 
received the baptism of the Holy Ghost are mis- 
taken. The man who claims he has received the 
baptism of the Holy Ghost and practices water bap- 
tism and teaches others to do so, does not only 
contradict Paul, but he is out of harmony with 
God’s word as well. Let us see which baptism has 
been retained in the church. Is it the baptism of 
the Holy Spirit? Let us go to the Bible and see 
what the baptism of the Holy Ghost was, and 
what followed it. The baptism of the Holy Ghost 
was a promise and not a command, and Jesus was 
the administrator. It was to be enjoyed and not 
obeyed, but not so with water baptism. It was 
a command and the Apostles were to be the ad- 
ministrators. Now if we can learn whether the 
one baptism which was to be retained in the church 
is a command or promise, and whether the Apostles 
or Christ were the administrators, then we can tell 
to which baptism Paul has reference. When Jesus 
gave the great commission, He commanded the 


354. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

Apostles to baptize; hear His own words: ^Go ye 
therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in 
the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the 
Holy Ghost.’ Was this baptism of the Holy Spirit? 
No, it could not be, as it was not a promise, but 
a command, and the Apostles were to be the ad- 
ministrators. Now let us come to this side of 
Pentecost and see if the baptism in the church at 
that time was a command or a promise, and see 
what the element was. In the second chapter of 
Acts, Peter said to the three thousand : ‘Repent 
and be baptized every one of you in the name of 
Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall 
receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.’ From this 
language, we learn that the baptism was a com- 
mand and not a promise. Now let us see the ele- 
ment in which they were baptized. Hear Luke : 
‘And as they went on their way, they came unto 
a certain water, and the eunuch said. See, here is 
water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And 
Philip said. If thou believest with all thine heart, 
thou mayesi. And he answered and said, I be- 
lieve that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And 
he commanded the chariot to -stand still: and they 
went down both into the water, both Philip and 
the eunuch ; and he baptized him. And when they 
were come up out of te water, the Spirit of the 
Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him 
no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.’ From 
this we learn that the element in which the Apos- 
tles baptized, after the church was complete, was 
water. Therefore, the baptism the Apostles prac- 
ticed and the one that has been retained in the 
church is the baptism of water. 

“There are but two cases of the baptism of the 
Holy Ghost recorded in the P>ible. One was at 


TWICE HAPPY. 


255 . 


Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost, where the 
Apostles and disciples only enjoyed it, and the 
other was at the house of Cornelius. Its purpose 
was to blend and make one in Christ the Jew and 
the Gentile, and this was accomplished when, on 
the day of Pentecost, the first Jews came into the 
Church of Christ and the first Gentiles were con- 
verted to the faith of the gospel at the house of 
Cornelius, hence, when that was done, the baptism 
of the Holy Ghost had served its purpose and was 
no longer needed in the church. Let us look at its' 
results, or what followed it. Those who were bap- 
tized by the Spirit could speak with tongues, heal 
the sick and raise the dead. Thus its purpose was 
accomplished when the Jew and Gentile were blend- 
ed in Christ, and the very fact that there is not a 
man living on earth today who can bring the dead 
(physical body) to life, and as the design of water 
baptism is for the remission of sins, and as its work 
is not yet accomplished and never will be until the 
last sinner of earth has bowed obediently to King 
Jesus, it follows, as a logical deduction, that at the 
time Paul wrote the baptism of the Holy Ghost 
had ceased, and the baptism of water is the one 
that has been retained in the church, the one which 
every creature of earth must obey and that Paul 
calls the one baptism. , 

“6th. One God and Father over all. The world 
is agreed that there is one God and Father. 

“The true Church of Christ consists of one body, 
one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one 
God and Father over all. These, together with 
the other ordinances and commands of the gospel, 
make up the church as it was in the days of the 
Apostles. 

“In conclusion, if there is one who wants to bow 


256. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 


obediently to God, go into the one body, wear no^ 
name but Christ’s, accept no creed but the Son of 
God, and no discipline but the Bible, and pledge 
yourself to live a pure, righteous life in God’s sight,, 
come while we sing.” 

The congregation rose and began singing and 
scarcely had the first words of the song reached 
the ears of the farthest auditors before Clyde New- 
man, followed by Miss Silvey, her uncle and aunt, 
walked forward and gave the minister their hands. 
The congregation sat down, and the preacher con- 
tinued, saying: 

“Friends, my heart is made to rejoice this even- 
ing that these four have come forward, saying they 
want to obey the Savior of Men and be pardoned 
from sin. I shall now proceed to take the only 
confession that the Bible says anything about.” 

The four candidates rose and, with bowed heads 
and hearts overflowing with joy, each confessed 
that “Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living 
God.” 

“When do you want to be baptized?” asked the 
preacher. 

“Tonight,” said the young engineer, firmly. 

“As Paul took the jailer and baptized him the 
same hour of the night, so we will go to the creek 
just at the rear of the building and immerse these 
four penitent believers into the name of the Father, 
Son and Holy Ghost,” said the preacher, as the 
people moved out of the building and assembled at 
the water's edge. 

“Let us sing ‘We Shall Gather at the River,’ 
continued the preacher. 

As the words of the song rang out and echoed 
against the rocks and trees of the surrounding 
mountains, Clyde stood in the bright moonlight and 


TWICE HAPPY. 


257 . 


looked down upon clear, smooth waters in whicb 
he was soon to be buried in the likeness of Christ’s 
death. When the song was ended, the minister 
raised his hands toward heaven and prayed that 
God would witness the solemn and sacred burial 
in the moonlit waters, and then started to the bank 
of the creek. 

“Just a moment,” said Clyde, as he took a long, 
envelope from his pocket and handed it to the 
preacher. 

The minister took the envelope, unfolded its con- 
tents, and said : 

“Friends, it brings additional joy to my heart to 
know that these two young people have agreed to 
enter into the solemn and sacred relationship of 
marriage to each other as well as to be married to- 
Christ.” 

There upon the banks of the winding mountain 
stream, and while the bright rays of the silvery 
queen of night fell upon the two happy souls and 
seemed to baptize them in a sea of glory, the min- 
ister spoke the words which made the two loving 
hearts beat as one, and with hands still clasped 
in each other’s they walked slowly down into the- 
placid waters, and, as Christ died upon the cross, 
they died to their sins; as He was buried in the 
literal sepulchre, so they were buried in the liquid 
grave, and as He burst the bars of the tomb and 
came forth to die no more, so they came from the 
healing waters of baptism to walk in the newness 
of life and enjoy the blessings of God forever. 

As the minister came from the water, he turned 
and said : 

^'Friends, this will end our meeting. I had ex- 
pected to preach here tomorrow evening, but I have 
been unexpectedly summoned to my home on ac- 


258. PROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 


count of sickness,' arid I shall 'hi 


avf to leave to- 


night.” 

Mr. W. rose and said: 

'‘We are sorry that our brother has to leave us,, 
but I shall take the liberty to say that Mr. Newman 
will preach for us tomorrow evening, and I assure 
you he will be equal to the occasion.” 

The congregation sang “God Be With You Till 
We Meet Again,” while they gathered around 
Clyde and his charming young bride and showered 
them with hearty congratulations and best wishes, 
after which the preacher bowed his head and asked 
God’s blessings upon the services of the evening,, 
and then all returned to their homes, feeling happ)*- 
that God had blessed them by sending a faithfuk 
minister of the word into their midst. 


A PLEASANT SURPRISE. 


259 . 


CHAPTER XX. 

A pleasant surprise. 

The conversion of the infidel and the moonlight 
wedding upon the banks of the mountain stream 
had caused a good deal of comment in the com- 
munity, and the news had spread for miles in every 
direction ; the result of which was the largest crowd 
that had even been seen by the oldest men and 
women of the vicinity came to Shady Grove the 
next evening to see the bride and hear the young 
engineer preach his first sermon. 

Clyde, followed by his young wife, his uncle and 
aunt, pushed his way through the crowded aisle un- 
til he reached the front seat which had been reserved 
for them. The congregation sang the usual num- 
ber of opening hymns, and after the invocation, by 
an elderly gentleman, Clyde Newman arose, walked 
to the stand, turned, faced the congregation and in 
a firm, strong voice said : 

“Ladies and Gentlemen : This is the first time 
I have ever appeared before an audience to preach 
a sermon, and, while I appreciate your presence 
and feel sure that I will be honored by receiving 
your very best attention, yet I trust you will not 
expect of me what you would of one who is older 
in years and more experienced in this kind of work. 

“My subject is: ‘How Are We Saved?’ In look- 
ing over the great catalogue of Bible subjects, I 
find none which I think is freighted with more im- 
portance, and that is more appropriate for this occa- 


260. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

•sion, or that the Bible makes plainer. Isaiah, the 
gleaming writer of the Old Testament, says : ‘And 
an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall 
be called the way of holiness ; the unclean shall not 
pass over it ; but it shall be for those ; the wayfar- 
ing men, though fools, shall not err therein’ ; and 
Paul, the brilliant writer of the New Testament, 
tells us that ‘All scripture is given by inspiration 
'of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, 
for correction, for instruction in righteousness : 
that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly 
furnished unto all good works.’ We believe the 
Bible is sufficient for man from the cradle to the 
grave, otherwise it would not be profitable for doc- 
trine and could not thoroughly furnish man to 
every good work. 

“Religious people differ widely as to how the 
human race is saved. It is assumed by one that 
if Jesus came to save His people, the whole fam- 
ily of man will be saved, irrespective of any ef- 
fort upon their part, or otherwise the mission of 
Jesus Christ was a failure. Others say that we 
can’t do anything to save ourselves, and that we 
must just believe on Christ and He will rMeem 
IIS from sin. While these theories lead off in dif- 
ferent directions, yet they are equally wrong and 
harmful in their results. They teach men to ignore 
the Divine commandments of God and encourage 
inactivity in the kingdom of Christ. They are not 
only wrong and harmful, but they are directly op- 
posed to the teachings of the Son of God. He says: 
■‘Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, 
•shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he 
that doeth the Avill of my Father which is in 
heaven.’ 

“I can see how it is that Jesus came to save His 


■ ' A PL-EA^ANr stJRPRISE. ‘ 261. 

people and thousands die in a lost condition every 
day; as well as I can see how" God gives us food 
and clothing and so many go hungry and naked. 
It is not God’s fault that some are destitute of 
food and clothing. He has given us the soil, the 
seed, the seasons; and through His inspired Apostle 
He said : ‘For, even when we were with you, this 
we commanded yOu, if any would not work, neither 
should he eat.’ So it is with our salvation. Jesus 
came to ‘save His people,’ He gave uS the gospel, 
and says we purify our Souls by obeying the truth. 
Paul says that Jesus will come in flaming fire, 
‘taking vengeance on them that knoW not God and 
that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.’ 
No man who understands the gospel of Christ 
would say that all mankind will be saved, or the 
mission of Christ to the world is a failure, or all 
that is required of a person is to just believe. Je- 
sus says, ‘Except ye repent ye shall all likewise 
perish.’ James says, ‘Be ye doers of the word and 
hearers only, deceiving yourselves.’ 

“How are we saved? Let us open our Bibles 
and see. Our salvation is attributed to a great 
many things, a few of which we will mention, (a) 
We are saved by Jesus, (b) We are justified by 
His blood, (c) We are reconciled by His death, 
(d) We are saved by grace, ((e) We are saved by 
the gospel, (f) We are justified by faith, (g) We 
are saved by repentance, (h) We are saved by 
confession, (i) We are saved by baptism, (j) We 
are saved by works, and (k) We save ourselves. 

“These scriptures teach us that our salvation de- 
pends upon more than one thing. No man has any 
right to separate any one of these from among the 
rest, and say that it alone is sufficient to save us, 
neither has he any right to pick out any one of 


262. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

them and say that it is a ‘non-essential.’ 

“These essentials naturally divide themselves 
into two classes. First, the securing causes, or 
what God has done for us that we could not do 
for ourselves, and, second, the appropriating causes, 
or what God has commanded us to do. This may 
be illustrated in the following way : A man has 
been convicted of some crime and sentenced to im- 
prisonment^Kor a term of years. He is absolutely 
dependent upon those on the outside for the neces- 
saries of life. Three times each day the warden 
sends him food. This is brought and placed within 
his reach. In this case the warden is the securing 
cause. He has done something for the man that 
he could not do himself. The prisoner reaches for 
the food and satisfies his hunger, thus appropriat- 
ing it to his own good. This is something the 
prisoner could do and the warden would not do it 
for him. So it is with the human family. We 
were bound in Satan’s prison-house of sin. Sal- 
vation was beyond our reach, Jesus came and by 
His life, death and resurrection brought life and 
immortality to light through the gospel. He says : 
‘I place my salvation in Zion,’ and invites all men 
to come to Him. In order for us to come, we 
must be like Him. He has secured our salvation 
and has left us appropriating causes, which are the 
commandments of the gospel ; we take hold of them 
and save ourselves by ‘obeying the truth.’ Faith 
purifies our hearts, repentance corrects or makes 
pure our lives, confession commits us to the Son 
of God, and baptism translates us into Christ. The 
Christian graces and a godly life keep our ‘robes 
washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb,’ 
and by being thus faithful until death we will hear 
Him say: ‘Blessed are they that do His command- 


A PLEASANT SURPRISE. 263. 

■ • , : ' Ai-rr <'>1 i -’'PT vj^ 

ments, that they may have right to the tree of life,, 
and may enter in through the gates into the city.’ 

"‘In conclusion, if there are those present who 
know they are sinners and wish to obey the gospel 
of Christ and be saved from sin, come while we 
sing.” 

The congregation rose and began singing “I Am 
Going to Jesus,” While the people were making 
the walls of the old building ring with the echo of 
the familiar hymn, a voice back near the door was 
heard saying : 

“Yes, I am going to Jesus,” and simultaneously 
with the words came the sound of crutches strik- 
ing against the rough seats and bare floor of the 
old school building. Every eye was turned toward 
the entrance, and the singers, in their anxiety to 
discover the object of the attraction, neglected to 
sing the second verse of the song. 

“You have saved me from being torn to pieces 
by the runaway horse, and now you have saved me 
from a life of sin,” came the words of a man as he 
was slowly moving up the aisle upon two crutches. 

“Mr. Newman,” continued the stranger, “you 
shed a p^rt of your own blood in saving me from 
a horrible death while I waf at the mercy of the 
frightened animal, and have pointed me to the 
Lamb of God who shed His blood to save me from 
an eternal death of sin.” 

“This is my good old friend, Bill McCoy,” said 
the young hero, in a trembling voice, as he dropped 
his book upon the stand, rushed down the aisle 
and fell upon the neck of the crippled man. 

“God bless you!” said the unfortunate Bill. His 
eyes filled with tears, his lips paled and trembled 
as he threw his almost fleshless arms about the 
engineers neck. Clyde placed his arms around the- 


264. FROM THE THRO’TTLE TO THE THRONE. 

frail figure and wept, as he looked into the face 
that was once strong and flushed with rich red 
blood, but was then small and colorless. He pressed 
his own round crimson cheeks to Bill’s and stood 
speechless for a moment, while hot scalding tears 
gushed from their eyes, washed down their faces 
and mingled together as they did the day in which 
their friendship was forever sealed by the lifeblood 
of each other. 

“Let me confess my Savior,” continued Bill. 

“You shall,” said the young engineer, as he took 
Bill’s small bony hand in his and said: ‘‘Do you 
believe with all your heart that Jesus is the Christ 
the. Son of the living God?” 

“I do,” said Bill, ‘‘and I want to obey Him.” 

“The congregation will go to the creek where 
we met last evening and we will immerse Mr. 
]\IcCoy in the name of the Son of God,” said Clyde, 
as he placed his arms about Bill’s frail body and 
slowly moved down the aisle and out to the ^vater’s 
edge. 

The congregation sang ‘‘I Will Be Buried With 
Jesus,” as Clyde raised Bill in his strong arms, 
walked out into the water, and in the name of the 
Father, Son and Holy Ghost, buried him in the 
healing waters of baptism, that he might come 
forth therefrom to walk in the newness of life. 

“Friends,” said Clyde, “my heart is made to re- 
joice this evening, not only because I have learned 
the way of life myself, but that I have seen my 
poor unfortunate friend. Bill McCoy, become a child 
of God. If my work in the Lord’s vineyard should 
end here, I feel as if I have been paid a thousand 
times for my struggles to learn the truth as it is 
in Jesus. But my work is not done, or will it ever 
be as long as I am able to lift my voice to warn 


A PLEASANT SURPillSE.' 265 . 

a sinner to turn from the error of his way, and 
can yield my influence to extend the borders of 
the kingdom of Christ. I shall leave in’ the morn- 
ing for my home in the East, that I may fulfill 
the promise I made to my fond sister by reveal- 
ing to her and my invalid mother the simple story 
of the cross and point them to the Lamb of God 
that, takes away the sins of the world. 

“With tear-dimmed eyes, I look up and say fare- 
well to yonder towering mountains. Their slop- 
ing sides, projecting rocks and snow-capped peaks 
look beautiful to me. Often upon the long sum- 
mer days, I have taken my Bible, slowly ascended 
their treacherous cliffs, sat down under their cool- 
ing shades, and while their health-giving breezes 
were kissing ni} pale, thin brow and leaving the 
print of their crimson lips upon my sunken cheeks, 
I was feasting my mind upon the great principles 
of the gospel of Christ, and as I thus nestled close 
to nature’s heart, I fed my benighted soul upon the 
bread of life as it foil from the hands of Him who 
shaped the hills, made the smooth prairies and 
hollowed out the seas by the word of His power. 
To Colorado’s winding rivers, rippling brooks, 
spreading oaks and fertile plains I say farewell. I 
love you still; you are bound to my heart by mem- 
ory’s ties, which are as bright and sparkling as 
yonder gems that stud the sky and cast their daz- 
zling rays upon the murmuring waters that are 
laving the shores at our feet. To the rose-covered 
vines, and blossoming trees, that are just bursting 
into new life under the touch of the warm, tender 
hand of the returning Spring, whose perfume sur- 
passes in fragrance that of the far-famed garden of 
pomegranates of Israel’s wisest king, I say fare- 


266. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

well. And to you, my friend, Mr. McCoy,” he 
continued, as he reached his hand to Bill and 
pressed him to his bosom, say farewell. May 
the God of all love, goodness and wisdom ever 
guide you in the way of His holiness and grant 
that we may meet again in this life, but, if not, 
meet me in that world where tears never dim the 
eyes, where good-byes are never said, where pain 
is not known, and sorrow never comes.” 

“Good-bye,” said Bill, as he sunk to the ground 
and wept as if his heart were breaking within him. 

“Let us sing “Blest Be the Tie That Binds Our 
Hearts in Christian Love,’ and everybody come and 
bid Mr. and Mrs. Newman good-bye, praying that 
God will bless their lives, increase their knowledge 
of the Word, enlarge their usefulness in the king- 
dom of His dear Son, and that they may be spared 
to come back into our midst and bless the lives of 
others as, they have ours,” said Mr. W., as the rays 
of the bright moonlight fell upon his broad face 
and revealed his flowing tears. 

The congregation began singing, the crowd 
passed around and with sad hearts bade them a 
last farewell, after which Mr. W. raised his hands 
toward heaven and asked God’s blessings upon 
them. Clyde and his young bride, then turned and 
walked to their buggy, too much overcome to 
:speak. 


BACK HOME. 


267 . 


CHAPTER XXL 

BACK HOME. 

One evening, while the thick, heavy clouds were 
hanging low over the city of C., and as the spread- 
ing boughs of the tall oak trees which stood around 
the old Newman home were casting their dark 
shades arid wrapping every object in a semi-dark- 
ness that came within the radius of their majestic 
reach, the footfalls of two persons were heard upon 
the well-worn brick walk, as they were approach- 
irig the old-style building which stood several rods 
back from the street. In the front room of the old 
building were a pair of crutcfies, lying by the side 
of a large rocking-chair, in which was seated an 
old gray-haired mother, palsied and deformed by 
disease and bent under the weight of many years. 
Close by her side was a young lady, holding in 
her hand the picture of a beautiful young girl, 
while in her lap were lying the neatly folded pages 
of a letter which she had just finished reading to 
her mother. 

‘'And they started Wednesday morning,” said the 
UNCLE SAME— SIXTY ONE 
aged woman, in a low, feeble tone, as she raised 
her trembling hand and wiped the teardrops from 
her eyes. 

“Yes, mother; they started Wednesday morning, 
and this is Saturday evening; and they will get 
here some time tomorrow. Mother, I can hardly 
realize that my own dear brother is coming home 


268. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

and, with him, my new sister. I know I shall love 
her, as this picture represents her to be such a 
sweet and lovable girl,’' said the young lady. 

“To think that my only boy is coming home and 
that he will soon be one of God’s strongest and 
most faithful ministers, brings to me more joy than 
my poor heart can stand,” said the aged and feeble 
woman, as she buried her face in her pale trem- 
bling hands and cried until her faded and wrinkled 
face was bathed in her own tears. 

“Yes, mother; we have been paid a thousand, 
times for the lonely days and weeks we have spent 
since he left us. His ’ old railroad friends have 
rented the opera house and expect him to preach 
for them tomorrow evening,” said the young lady, 
as light footfalls were heard on the veranda. 

“They have come,” said Miss Grace, as she hur- 
ried to open the front door. 

“Yes, this is my own dear brother,” she said, as 
she threw her arms about his broad shoulders, 
kissed his manly face and wept upon his neck. 
“And here is my new sister,” she continued, as 
she turned to greet his bride. 

Clyde pushed open the door, and saw his invalid 
mother leaning upon her crutches and trying to 
move towards him. 

“Here is my blessed old mother,” he said, as he 
threw his strong arms about her frail body, lifted 
his invalid parent back to the chair, kneeled down 
by her side, buried his face in her small palsied 
arms, wept for a moment, while he thanked God 
that he could once more rest upon her loving bosom, 
listen to the throbs of the warm tender heart, look 
into the tear-dimmed eyes and'cover with his kisses 
the drawn but sweet face of his own darling mother. 

“Mother,” he continued, as he rose to his feet. 


BACK HOME. 


269 . 


“here is your daughter-in-law.” 

The young wife gracefully stooped and greeted 
his invalid parent, after which all were seated and 
Clyde told the story of his struggles while he was 
in the West. 

“Your old railroad friends have rented the Opera 
House and expect you to preach to them tomorrow 
evening,” said his sister. 

“I am never happier than when I am talking about 
the gospel of Christ, and I assure you, sister, that I 
have kept my promise. I have come home, not only 
restored in health, but I am now able to teach you 
the way of God’s truth.” 

The next evening, Mr. B., the superintendent, 
drove to the Newman home, took Clyde and his 
young wife, mother and sister, to the Opera House, 
where the young engineer was greeted by a large 
crowd of railroad men. After Mr. B. aQd some 
more of the officials of the road had carried Clyde’s 
invalid mother up the broad steps, down the aisle 
and placed her in a chair near the stage, the congre- 
gation sang two songs, which were followed by a 
prayer, Clyde rose, looked into the faces of his old 
friends and said : 

“Ladies and gentlemen, my heart is made to re- 
joice this evening and I thank you, my friends,, 
from the very depths of my soul for your kindness 
in arranging this meeting for me. The subject to 
which I will call your attention this evening is the 
Change of Heart. 

“While the expression, 'Change of heart,’ is not 
in so many words mentioned in the Old or New 
Testament, yet the thought is implied. Jesus says: 
'The pure in heart shall see God,’ and other places 
in the inspired Volume teach us that the impure 
heart can not enjoy any peace in this life or a hope 


270. PROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

beyond the grave. It shall be my purpose this eve- 
ning to speak of the heart and its conversion to» 
Christ. A heart that has been impure in the sight 
of God, but is now pure, has undergone a great 
change, hence my reason for the expression, ‘change 
of heart.’ 

“That a person must experience a change of 
heart to be accepted of the Father, is believed by 
all candid and honest Bible readers. As God sus- 
pends our salvation upon the conditions of knowing 
Him and obeying the gospel of His Son, and as the 
change of heart includes both, it makes our subject 
not only an interesting, but an infinitely important 
one. 

“While there are a great many theories touching 
upon this subject, and learned men have differed 
widely as to how the heart is changed, yet we be- 
lieve that a close study of the Bible will put an end 
to all controversy. Isaiah says: ‘And an highway 
shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called the 
way of holiness ; the unclean shall not pass over 
it ; but it shall be for those : the wayfaring men, 
though fools, shall not err therein,’ and Paul says : 
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and 
is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, 
for instruction in righteousness : that the man of 
God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all 
good works.’ These scriptures teach us that the 
pathway to heaven is plain and the Bible is suffi- 
cient to lead us safely there. In order to present 
this subject in a way that it will be easily under- 
stood, we will ask and by the aid of God’s word, 
answer the following questions: 1st, What is the 
heart that must be changed? 2nd, Have we any 
dgency in changing our own hearts? 3rd, What.. 
cire the means used .n effec*-hig the change? 


BACK HOME 


271 . 


“As to tiic first question, djuot’css there is no one 
that believes that it is the physical or hollo vv mt:s- 
cular organ that propels the blood through the hu- 
man body. However, it may be well to note here 
a few quotations that will confirm the idea that the 
heart, which is referred to in the scriptures is the 
foundation of the issues of life, and not the fleshly 
heart. When David was old, his son Absalom tried 
to supplant his father, by courting favor with the 
people, and it is said that he stole the hearts of the 
men of Israel. Solomon says, ‘A wise man's heart 
IS at his right hand, but a fool’s is at his left.’ Jesus 
says, Xay not for yourselves treasures upon earth, 
where moth and rust doth corrupt and where thieves 
break through and steal. But lay up for yourselves 
treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust 
doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break 
through nor steal : for where your treasure is, there 
will your heart be also.’ From these passages, we 
learn that the heart, whatever it is, can be stolen, 
can be on the right side of the body and while we 
sojourn here our hearts can be in heaven, providing 
our treasure is there. 

“What is the heart? We may know what the 
heart is by what it does. If we know what a man 
does, we may know what he is. If he tills the soil, 
we know he is a farmer, if he stands over the forge 
or welds the iron, we know he is a blacksmith ; if 
he sells g'oods, we know he is a merchant, so it is 
with the heart, we know what it is by what it does. 
Now let us see what the heart does that we may 
■know what it is. From the following scriptures, we 
. learn what it does, (a) .‘For this people's lieart is 
waxed gross, and their ears arc dull of hearing, and 
their eyes are closed; lest at any time.tliey should 
.see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, an 1 


272. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

“Should understand with their heart. And should be 
converted, and I should heal them, (b) ‘For with 
the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and 
with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.’ 
(c) In answer to the lawyer who said to Jesus: 
‘Master which is the greatest commandment in the 
law? Jesus said unto him, thou shall love the Lord 
thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, 
and with all thy mind.’ (d) ‘For if our heart con- 
demn us, God is greater than our heart and know- 
eth all things.’ (e) ‘Nevertheless he that standeth 
steadfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath 
power over his own will, and hath so decreed in his 
heart that he will keep his virgin, doeth well.’ 

“Here we may learn that the part of a person 
which understands, believes, loves, condemns and 
'decrees or wills, is the heart. That part of a person 
which believes or understands, is the understanding 
■of a man, the part of a person that loves is his af- 
fection, the part of a person that condemns is his 
conscience and the part of a person which decrees 
or wills, is his will power. In other words a man’s 
heart is his understanding, his affection, ’ his con- 
science and his will power. 

“Since we have learned what the heart is by what 
it does, the next question that claims out attention, 
is. Have we any agency in changing our own 
hearts? The Bible nowhere teaches that man is a 
mere machine or that he is all together passive and 
can eat, only as his acted upon by the Spirit of 
God. But a close study of the Scriptures will lead 
us to believe that just the opposite is true, and man 
is free to think and act as he pleases, that' good and 
evil are placed before him, and in the words of 
His faithful servant of old, God is saying to every 
•man and woman, ‘Choose ye this day whom you 


273 . 


BACK HOME. 

Avill serve.’ Jesus says: ‘Come unto me all ye that 
labor and are heaven laden and I will give you 
rest.’ To induce man to choose the right and live, 
God has appealed to him with such motives as the 
sacrificial death of Christ, the joys of heaven and 
the sweet fellowship of the redeemed. Peter, know- 
ing that a man’s salvation depended upon doing the 
will of God, exhorted the Pentecostians to “save 
yourselves from this untoward generation.’ Ezekiel 
says : ‘Cast away from you all your transgressions, 
whereby ye have transgressed ; and make you a new 
heart and a new spirit; for why will you die, O 
house of Israel.’ James says: ‘Draw nigh unto 
God and He will draw night unto you. Cleanse 
your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts ye 
double minded.’ John, the great Apostle of love, 
said : ‘And I said unto Him, sir, thou knowest. And 
He said unto me, these are they which came out 
•of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, 
■and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.’ 

“From these scriptures we learn that man is, not 
only free to act, and God has left it to him to choose 
between good and evil, but he has an agency in 
changing his own heart, in so much, that by turn- 
ing, he creates a new heart; and he can cleanse his 
hands, purify his heart, and wash his robes and 
make them white in the blood of the Lamb. 

“What are the means by which the heart is 
changed? We have already seen that the heart con- 
sists of the understanding, affection, conscience and 
will power. The question, how is the heart changed? 
now claims our attention. 

“Peter, while speaking of the conversion of the 
G'entiles, said: ‘Men and brethren, ye know how 
that a good while ago God made choice among us, 
that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the 


274. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

words of the gospel, and believe. And God, which 
knoweth the heart, bare them witness, giving them 
the Holy Ghost, even as He did unto us; and put 
no difference between them and us, purifying their 
hearts by faith.’ From this cripture, we learn that 
the heart is purified by faith and that this faith is 
produced by the ‘mouth’ of Peter. This position is 
in perfect harmony with the teaching of Christ, 
when he said : ‘It is written in the prophets, and 
they shall be all taught of God. Every man there- 
fore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Fath- 
er, cometh unto me,’ and with Paul when he said : 
‘So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the 
word of God.’ Again, Peter says : ‘Seeing ye have 
purified your souls in obeying the truth through 
the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see 
that you love one another with a pure heart fer- 
vently.’ By placing Peter’s two statements togeth- 
er, we learn that a man can purify his heart or soul 
by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ and obeying 
His truth, which is the gospel. Jesus says: ‘Go- 
ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every 
creature. He that believeth and is baptized, shall 
be saved ; but he that believeth not shall be 
damned.’ And Peter said : ‘And to you who are 
troubled, rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall 
be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in 
flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know 
not God, and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus 
Christ.’ These two passages of scripture teach us, 
that if a man refuses to believe and obey the gospel, 
he cannot be saved, and as it requires action on the 
part of a man to believe and obey the gospel, it 
follows that a man’s salvation depends upon 
something that he does. 

“The often quoted phrase: ‘Wherefore, that we 


BACK HOME. 


275 . 


are justified by faith only is a most wholesome 
doctrine, and very full of comfort,’ is not only un- 
scriptural, but it is directly opposed to the teaching 
of Jesus, Peter, Paul and James. Jesus says: ‘Not 
every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall en- 
ter into the Kingdom of Heaven ; but he that doeth 
the will of my Father which is in heaven.’ From 
this, we see that our salvation does not depend upon 
‘Faith only,’ but upon doing the will of God. James 
speaks of the faith alone theory in the following 
way : ‘Thou believest that there is one God ; thou 
doest well : the devils also believed and trembled. 
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without 
works is dead? Was not Abraham our father jus- 
tified by works, when he offered Isaac his son upon 
the altar? Se.est thou how faith wrought with his 
works, and by works was faith made perfect? And 
the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham be- 
lieved God, and it was imputed unto him for right- 
eousness : and he was called a friend of God. We 
see then how that by works a man is justified, and 
not by faith only.’ 

“From the foregoing scriptures we learn three 
things. First, a man must do something to be 
saved; second, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and 
obedience to the gospel, purifies his heart or soul, 
and third, the Bible nowhere says that, ‘Faith only 
is a most wholesome doctrine and very full of com- 
fort,’ but that ‘Faith without works is dead, being 
alone.’ 

“If the heart is the understanding, affection, con- 
science, and will power; then, to have a change of 
heart, is to have our understanding, affection, con- 
science and will power changed. One may ask, 
-Hdw is this done ? The' following illustration' will, 
doubtless, make this plain. Let us imagine we have 


276. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

a man l^efore us who does not know about God,- 
Christ, the Holy Spirit or anything that the Bible 
teaches, but he is a believer in Buddhism. We want 
to see this man become a Christian. We are al) 
agreed that in order for him to 'see God/ his heart 
must be pure and that will necessitate a complete 
change from its present condition. What must the 
man do? What must we do for him? Shall he 
pray? No, he knows nothing about God and Christ 
and if he should pray, he would not pray to an un- 
known God, but he would naturally pray to Buddha. 
Must we tell him to love God and Christ? I think 
not just now. If he cannot 'call upon Him in whom 
he does not believe,’ I would think it would be 
more difficult for him to love Him, of 'whom he has 
never heard.’ What shall we do first, to aid him 
to secure salvation from sin? Let Jesus answer; 
hear His own words : 'It is written in the prophets, 
and they shall be all be taught of God. Every man 
therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the 
Father, cometh unto me.’ 

"We must teach him. He understands that 
Buddha is the true God and the only God. The 
first thing we want to do is to change his under- 
standing. We want to persuade him to disbelieve 
in gods made of wood and stone and believe in the 
true God of heaven. When he has learned to dis- 
believe, or no longer believe in Buddha, but believes 
in God, his understanding has been changed, and 
just that far he has a change of heart, but the change 
is not yet complete. Though he believes in God, 
his heart is not yet entirely pure and therefore he 
is not saved. James would say to him : 'You have 
faith only. Faith without works, is dead.’ What 
must he do next? Change his affection, and this 
he will do when he learns 'that God so loved the 


BACK HOME. 


277 . 


world that He gave His only begotten Son, that 
whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, but 
have everlasting life.’ When he learns of the good- 
ness of God and how Christ died to save him, his 
affection will be turned towards the Son of God and 
from the depth of his heart, he will cry out, ‘My 
Jesus I love Thee, I know Thou art mine.’ Now his 
understanding and affections are changed, what is 
the next thing for him to do? Jesus says: ‘If ye 
love me, ye will keep my commandments. How 
about the conscience? He has been doing wrong, 
his conscience condemns him. How shall he change 
his conscience? By repentance. He must make 
right the things he once made wrong. This act 
changes his conscience. Now is he a saved man? 
Has he a complete change of heart? I think not; 
how about his relationship? Is he in Christ? No, 
he is yet in the world and he must separate himself 
from evil, change his relationship, be translated 
into the one body by putting on Christ, as in Him- 
only, are the remission of sins and the gift of the 
Holy Spirit. How can he change his relationship, 
or put on Christ? Let Paul tell us. Listen to his 
own words: ‘For as many of you as have been 
baptized into Christ, have put on Christ.’ 

“Now let us see what the man has done and how 
he did it. He has a change of understanding, this 
was brought about by testimony. He has had a 
change of affection ; this was done by the goodness, 
or rather when he saw the goodness of God, and 
the great love of the crucified Savior. His con- 
science has been changed, by a sincere repentance 
towards God by making right, as far as possible, 
that which he once made wrong. His state or re- 
lationship has been changed. Once he was in the 
world, now he has put on Christ, by being baptized 


278. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE. 

into Him. Paul s^s: ‘That as many as have been 
baptized into Christ, have put on Christ. This is 
as much as to say, that those who have not been 
baptized into Christ, have not put Him on, and 
therefore, have never come into Him. What must 
the man do now? He is a Christian, he has a com- 
plete change of heart, now he must add to his faith 
the Christian graces, live the life that Christ would 
have im live, be faithful until death and Christ will 
give him a crown of life. 

“In conclusion, if there are those present who 
know they are sinners and wish to have this change 
of heart and enjoy the full pardon of your sins, 
come while we sing.” 

The congregation rose and several came forward, 
and among them was his sister, with his mother 
leaning upon her arm. The people sat down, Clyde 
raised his tear-dimmed eyes, looked over the con- 
gregation, and in a trembling voice said : 

“Friends, my fondest hopes have been realized. 
I have prayed for the hour when I could take my 
aged mother and fond sister by the hand and hear 
them confess their faith in the Son of God. I shall 
now proceed to take the confession of all who have 
come forward this evening.” 

With a heart overflowing with joy, the young 
hero asked the candidates to stand and heard each 
one confess that they believed with all their heart 
that “Jesus is the Christ the Son of the living God.” 

“Tomorrow at ten o’clock we will meet at the 
river just west of the city and immerse these peni- 
tent believers in the name of the Father, the Son 
and Holy Ghost. My sister will now sing, ‘Life is 
Like a Mountain Railway,’ ” he continued, as Miss 
Grace rose, faced the audience and sung the song 
through, after which Clyde bowed his head and 


HACK HOME. 


279 . 


thanked God for the great blessings of the hour, 
and when the congregation was dismissed, his old 
friends passed around, congratulated him upon his 
thorough recovery of his health and bade him un- 
bounded success in the great work in which he was 
^engaged. 


230. FROM THE THPwOTTLE TO THE THRONE. 


CHAPTER XXII. 

ASCENDING TO THE THRONE. 

On a certain day, several years from that in which 
Clyde Newman, our hero, and his young wife ar- 
rived in the city of C., a physician walked up to a 
beautiful home located on one of the principal resi- 
dent streets of the city. A beautiful brown-eyed 
and dark-haired girl, of only ten summers, met him 
at the door, and the doctor said : 

^‘Good morning. Miss Marie.” 

“Good morning, doctor,” said the little girl in a 
broken, trembling voice. 

“How is Mr. Newman this morning?” asked the 
doctor, as he laid his hand lightly upon her shoul- 
der. 

“Father is not resting well ; he is weaker than he 
was yesterday and we fear he is growing much 
worse,” she said, as she raised her arm to her full 
round face and sobbed aloud. 

“Don’t worry, Marie,” continued the doctor; 
3'our papa will be all right in a day or two.” 

The doctor then stepped into the large hall where 
he was met by Mrs. Newman. 

“Good morning, doctor,” she said in a low sur- 
pressed voice. 

“Good morning, Mrs. Newman,” he said softly. 
■“How is Mr. Newman resting now?” 

“He is very restless and seems to be suffering a 
great deal. He does itot seem to be worrying about 
his condition, only that he wants to get well and 


ASCENDING TO THE THRONE. 281. 

help some one else, or get out of the way of others. 
Doctor, it nearly breaks my heart to hear him talk 
that way. I am anxious for him to get well, but 
as he is sick now, it is a pleasure to wait on him and 
try and make him happy, even in his sickness, 
said Mrs. Newman, as her eyes filled with tears and 
her lips turned pale and quivered. 

The doctor stepped into the room where the sick 
man was lying upon a snow-white bed, with his 
hands folded across his breast and breathing hard. 

‘'Good morning, doctor.’^ he said feebly. 

“Good morning, Mr. Newman, how are you feel- 
ing now?’’ he asked. 

“No better,” he said, as'he turned his eyes toward 
the doctor and gazed into his face. 

“You will be all right by tomorrow,” continued 
the physician. “I will call in the morning and see 
you.” 

“Yes, I will be all right tomorrow, but I may not 
be here,” he said, as he closed his eyes and dropped 
into a light sleep. 

The doctor walked lightly out of the room, talked 
for a moment with Mrs. Newman and then left the 
house. 

At nine o’clock that evening, Mr. Newman be- 
gan to rapidly grow worse, but being perfectly 
conscious, he asked his wife to have his three chil- 
dren come to his bedside. With a breaking heart, 
Mrs. Newman called her two sons and one daugh- 
ter into his room and like Jacob of old, he gave them 
all a father’s blessing, bade them and his faithful 
wife good bye, then turned to his sister and friends 
who were present, and said : 

“My life’s work is over, my race is ended. I have 
served my Saviour to the best of my ability. My 
course in life has been well chosen and my reward. 


282. FROM THE THROTTLE TO THE THRONE 

is certain. As I am now at the close of this life 
and at the threshold of the next, in the words of 
Paul, that faithful servant of God, I can say : 'I am 
now ready to be offered, and the time of my depart- 
ure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have 
finished my course, I have kept the faith; hence- 
forth there is laid up for me a crown of righteous- 
ness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give 
me at that day : and not to me only, but to all them 
also that love his appearing. Do thy diligence to 
come shortly unto me.^ ” 

Thus with the words of the departing Apostle 
upon his dying lips, he closed his eyes, breathed for 
a moment, then ceased. The Spirit left his cold and 
lifeless body, the death angel had come and kissed 
his eyelids to that eternal sleep, folded in his strong 
embrace, the pure spotless soul, spread his golden 
wings and with his heaven bound burden, ascended 
to God’s Eternal Throne. 

(The end.) 







FROM THE THROTTLE 
TO THE. THRONE. 

]^Y 'V. H. WILSON, Verona. Mo. 


I 






f 











